iPhone 18 - 2026
With the iPhone 18 lineup that's planned for 2026, Apple is making major changes. There will be tweaks to the launch timelines of the different iPhone models, plus Apple is planning to introduce its first-ever foldable iPhone
The full iPhone 18 lineup is expected to include the iPhone 18, the low-cost iPhone 18e, iPhone 18 Air, the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the all-new iPhone 18 Fold, though naming for the new foldable hasn't been established. That's a lot of iPhones, so the four more expensive models will launch in fall 2026 and the less expensive models will follow in early 2027. The iPhone 18 Air, Pro, Pro Max, and Fold will come in September 2026, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will launch in 2027.
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A Split Launch Strategy
With the iPhone 18 lineup, Apple is going to change the timing for new iPhone releases. The more expensive iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max iPhones will launch in the fall of 2026 as usual, alongside the new foldable iPhone and the iPhone 18 Air, but the more affordable iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models won't come out until spring 2027. Customers who want to upgrade during the standard fall timeline will need to opt for one of the more expensive iPhone models, while those who want a better deal will have to wait.
The First Foldable iPhone
Multiple rumors suggest that Apple's first foldable iPhone will launch in the fall of 2026, with the device coming alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. It's not clear what Apple plans to name the device at this time, but people have taken to calling it the "iPhone Fold" for now.
Design and Display
The first foldable iPhone will open up book style, which means it will have a smaller outer display and then a larger, wider open display. Design wise, it will be similar to the Pixel Fold or the Galaxy Fold.
When folded, the iPhone will have a display that's around 5.3 inches, and when open, it will have a much larger 7.6-inch display. It could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and around 9mm when it is closed, though rumors have differed on thickness. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks it will be 4.5mm, while Weibo leaker Instant Digital says it's going to measure in at 4.8mm thick when open. Keeping the foldable iPhone thin has been a priority for Apple when designing the device.
The outer display will be usable when the device is closed, but opening it up will provide access to the larger inner display. Apple is expected to use a titanium casing, and the design is meant to minimize the creasing.
Apple will use ultra-thin glass for the foldable iPhone, with Samsung set to create the displays. The outer display is expected to have a hole-punch rear camera, while the inner display will use under-display camera technology.
Analyst Jeff Pu believes the foldable iPhone will have a frame that's made from titanium and aluminum. Apple could use titanium for the stress bearing parts of the frame to ensure that it doesn't bend, and aluminum in other areas for heat dissipation and to keep weight low.
No Crease
Rumors suggest the first foldable iPhone will have no visible crease or a nearly invisible crease, unlike most of the foldable devices on the market. Apple pursued eliminating the crease regardless of cost, and ensuring no crease is why it took Apple so long to design a foldable iPhone.
Apple is using a combination of titanium and stainless steel for the hinge, along with liquid metal. The design minimizes creasing and improves durability.
No Face ID
The foldable iPhone is rumored to use Touch ID instead of Face ID, because there isn't space for the Face ID hardware in the device. Instead, Touch ID could be built into a button on the device, similar to how Apple's iPad mini works.
Mockups
A 3D printed mockup version of the iPhone Fold provides an idea of what the device will look like. The mockup isn't spot on because we don't know Apple's exact specifications for the iPhone Fold as of yet, but it in line with multiple rumors that we've heard at 7.6 inches when open and 5.5 inches when closed.
It's smaller than the iPhone mini, but it will have the largest display of an iPhone to date. It's rumored to have a 4:3 aspect ratio, and it will be short and wide, featuring a book-like form factor.
Rear Camera
The foldable iPhone camera will have a Main lens and an Ultra Wide lens with no Telephoto lens. Rumors suggest that both lenses will be 48 megapixels, which isn't too surprising because current iPhone models have 48-megapixel lenses.
Front Camera
The iPhone Fold's interior display will reportedly have a 24-megapixel under-display camera, which will be an industry first. Some Android devices use under-display cameras, but not at that high resolution.
The exterior screen will have a hole punch c... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: iPhone 18
- Article Link
- https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-18/
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