1BadManVan
macrumors 68040
I really don’t see that happening the way the leaker claims. They would just tank their sales of the 18? Nah
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Leaker: Apple to Downgrade iPhone 18 in Two Ways
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Mrkevinfinnerty
macrumors 68040
capamac
macrumors 6502a
This is the answer.Do whaaaaa ?!
It's just like how VCRs in 1980 cost $900, and by 2000 you could get one for $50.
Apple's stuck in that $900 VCR mindset.
I7guy
macrumors Westmere
Or Apple could raise the price of the phone. Shrinkflation.
I7guy
macrumors Westmere
And sells hundreds of millions of iPhones. But memory and other chips cost more today than they did yesterday. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work.
JPack
macrumors P6
Reminds me of when people swore up and down iPhone 14 wouldn't use the same chip as iPhone 13. People said Kuo was nuts.
Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15
Only the iPhone 14 Pro models will have the "A16" chip, while the standard iPhone 14 models will retain the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet, Kuo said that the 6.1-inch "iPhone 14 Pro" and the 6.7-inch "iPhone 14 Pro Max" will get...
www.macrumors.com
1BadManVan
macrumors 68040
not quite, same soc but with the 5 core gpu and 6gb of ram. So still an upgrade, just a very minor one, and certainly not a downgrade like these rumours are claiming to happenReminds me of when people swore up and down iPhone 14 wouldn't use the same chip as iPhone 13. People said Kuo was nuts.
Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15
Only the iPhone 14 Pro models will have the "A16" chip, while the standard iPhone 14 models will retain the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet, Kuo said that the 6.1-inch "iPhone 14 Pro" and the 6.7-inch "iPhone 14 Pro Max" will get...
musicmachine
macrumors member
iPhone Neo (base and e combined)
iPhone air
iPhone pro
iPhone ultra (fold)
Is what it sounds like. Plus with them not updating base iPad.
iPad mini ? (Once fold out will be gone)
iPad neo
iPad air
iPad pro
ipad ultra ?????
Not sure how they’ll do the iPad line. Pro could become ultra, air specs would be pro and base to be Air. And base to be stripped down like 17e. And be called iPad Neo. Once fold is out no need for mini.
MacBook Neo
MacBook air
MacBook pro
MacBook ultra (touch)
They’ll drop the number scheme.
iPhone air
iPhone pro
iPhone ultra (fold)
Is what it sounds like. Plus with them not updating base iPad.
iPad mini ? (Once fold out will be gone)
iPad neo
iPad air
iPad pro
ipad ultra ?????
Not sure how they’ll do the iPad line. Pro could become ultra, air specs would be pro and base to be Air. And base to be stripped down like 17e. And be called iPad Neo. Once fold is out no need for mini.
MacBook Neo
MacBook air
MacBook pro
MacBook ultra (touch)
They’ll drop the number scheme.
Last edited:
jdawgnoonan
macrumors 65816
Does “Downgrade” in this context mean that it will still be an upgrade compared to the iPhone 17, just less of an upgrade than it might have otherwise been? Downsizing planned hardware features for what was planned for the 18 to hit a price point and profit margin is not the end of the world. Now if they roll back to a 60hz screen or something that would be questionable, but I cannot see that. We all know that tech is getting more expensive for a multitude of reasons. Thus why I went ahead and bought a new MBP this year instead of waiting for the next model.
transpo1
macrumors 68000
Most general consumers won't know about the downgrades because they're not on Macrumors but some (like us) may hold out on upgrading. I'm sure this is a shrewd product segmentation move by Apple to get people to purchase the Air 2 or Pro models.
Regardless, it's a very un-Apple like move to downgrade a product and they're only hurting themselves. I believe one of the reasons the iPhone 17 sold so well is that it held incredible value for customers the best tradition of Jobs' philosophy, which was "price low, sell on volume."
transpo1
macrumors 68000
Smart how they're putting out low-end products like the "MacBook Neo" so that when they put out the "MacBook Ultra" people can't accuse them of being out of touch and only making expensive products for the elite.
Surely the iPhone roadmap was decided years before the new CEO came in? Someone must have said we need a fold a flip phone and lower quality iPhone 18. They have effectively gone Samsung even bringing out a curved screen phone when Samsung ditched it!
Exactly this. If you care you are already spending for a Pro or Air. The press will be bad but real people would care much more if Apple raised the price of the base iPhone.
This makes 0 sense. If they are going to do this, just skip the 18 altogether and keep the 17 around for another year. I guess this is one last hurrah from Tim "Penny Pincher" Cook, after they made the 17 too good for a base model..
switz
Contributor
See no need to upgrade any of my Apple gear next year as all of what I have is working. The difference between a need and a want is significant.
The Apple price damage I thought last year might happen quickly this year has crept along slowly. But the shock cushion for Apple will probably dry up soon and Apple prices will go up and/or the feature sets could be impacted negatively.
I was not so lucky with my Leica Camera gear and really paid the Piper but even that process of acquisition has stopped just as some higher prices have hit products of interest.
We never see a U-Haul following the hearse and there are no pockets in a shroud, so we are never taking "stuff" with us. Enjoy while you can and be thankful you had the opportunity.
The Apple price damage I thought last year might happen quickly this year has crept along slowly. But the shock cushion for Apple will probably dry up soon and Apple prices will go up and/or the feature sets could be impacted negatively.
I was not so lucky with my Leica Camera gear and really paid the Piper but even that process of acquisition has stopped just as some higher prices have hit products of interest.
We never see a U-Haul following the hearse and there are no pockets in a shroud, so we are never taking "stuff" with us. Enjoy while you can and be thankful you had the opportunity.
JPack
macrumors P6
It's unlikely the change in specs to iPhone 18 will "trash" sales.
A few hundred nits less of peak brightness and a couple fewer GPU cores isn't going to move the needle. It's a mainstream iPhone that comes 6 months after the Pro/Max/Ultra. The buyers who care about this aren't buying the base model.
I wouldnt doubt it, its clear they are pushing pro models with the staggered release. They are like oh no if we give the base model good features it sells more. whatever phone doesnt have the ugly pro camera bump/bar is what Ill go with lol, apples gonna have their dated black bezels on every model anyway
Shirasaki
macrumors P6
Enjoy it while you still can, just like iPhone mini for many.
“profit margin must be maintained at all costs”
Is Apple saving cash to better shoulder impacts from the world right now, and that’s why they cut a bit of “corners”?
Cool so you make my 15 PM, AWU (gen 2), Apple TV 4K laggy with ios26 and you think you can dip in my pocket... think again Apple... increase the price and decrease the quality is the kiss of death for me. I've never been closer to jumping ship, fully in the ecosystem since my Powerbook G4 and OG iPod, even PAID for MobileMe. Fire Tim Cook and get this company on track or else I'm out!!
