Spring is just around the corner, and that means that the iPhone 18 is almost within reach.
While we still have about six months left to wait to get our hands on Apple’s latest mobile devices, the rumor mill is in full swing.
Here’s everything we know so far about what’s (potentially) coming with the iPhone 18 lineup that’s different from the current and previous models.
The iPhone Fold joins the family
The name “iPhone Fold” is not yet a guarantee, but an all-new iPhone line is pretty much a sure thing for September’s big Apple event.
The iPhone Fold, Apple’s first foldable smartphone, has been speculated about for years. However, over the past few months, there have been numerous leaks from respected reporters and other Apple insiders that seem to cement the iPhone Fold’s impending arrival.
Everything from the iPhone Fold’s design to a potential retail price has leaked at this point.
The latest reports point to the iPhone Fold functioning as an iPhone when closed and presenting very much like an iPad mini when opened up, with apps running side-by-side.
If the rumors surrounding why it took so long for Apple to develop a foldable device are accurate, the iPhone Fold will likely have no visible crease when opened.
The iPhone Fold will also likely have two rear 48MP cameras (main and wide-angle) and two selfie cameras, one for when the device is closed and another for when the device is unfolded.
iPhone 18 Pro’s different Dynamic Island
A mistranslation of a leaker’s report originally set off some controversy among Apple fans as it appeared the company was maybe looking to get rid of the iPhone 18 Pro’s Dynamic Island feature.
The iPhone 18 Pro will very likely still have the Dynamic Island. However, based on the correctly translated leak, the iPhone 18 Pro model may have a redesigned Dynamic Island that’s smaller than the base model’s.
Mashable Light Speed
It’s still unclear exactly what changes are coming to the pill-shape Dynamic Island design, but it seems like it will be a bit different from its predecessors.
Variable aperture
Photographers should rejoice if this comes to fruition. Recent leaks suggest that Apple will be upgrading the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera with a variable aperture.
Typically, smartphone cameras have a fixed aperture due to limitations in fitting everything into such a small device. However, with the expanded camera plateau that was introduced with the iPhone 17, Apple has more space to work with.
It appears Apple is looking to utilize this by adding a variable aperture to the iPhone 18 Pro. A variable aperture would allow users to increase or decrease the size of the hole that lets in light to the camera sensor.
This will allow iPhone 18 Pro users to take more stylized photos, like allowing blur or bokeh effects to occur directly within the camera instead of in post-processing. A variable aperture can also improve the camera’s shutter speed and reduce noise in the images as well.
iPhone in ‘Deep Red’
According to a report from Bloomberg‘s Apple insider Mark Gurman, Apple is testing out a new “deep red” color for at least two upcoming iPhone models.
This would be the first iPhone in any shade of red since the iPhone 14 came in red as part of the (PRODUCT)RED lineup.
Apple’s new affordable laptop, the MacBook Neo, has been a hit with its new vibrant “fun” color offerings like Citrus and Blush. While Apple may consider some iPhone colors in a similar vein, Gurman says the iPhone Fold will likely only come in more traditional color variations like space gray or black.
The A20 and A20 Pro chipset
An all new-generation of iPhones means an all-new generation of Apple’s mobile chipset. The A20 is expected to come to the iPhone 18 lineup, while the A20 Pro chip will be found in the iPhone 18 Pro models.
While specs are still unknown, the A20 and A20 Pro chipsets will certainly be more powerful, faster, and more efficient than their predecessors. This is thanks to the TSMC’s 2nm process that the A20 will use.
According to MacRumors, TSMC uses Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, which means that the iPhone’s RAM will be “integrated directly onto the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, rather than the RAM being adjacent to the chip and connected via silicon interposer.”
For users, the result of this technology is faster performance for many features, including Apple Intelligence, as well as increased battery life. This design also provides increased space within the iPhone for other technologies.
Analysts believe that the chipset will have 12GB of RAM embedded in it across the board. This means that the base model iPhone 18 would get an upgrade from last year’s base model iPhone 17, which only had 8GB of RAM.
Along with the A20 chipset, the new iPhone 18 models will reportedly have a new N2 chip for increased Wi-FI and Bluetooth performance as well as a new C2 Modem, which will upgrade the iPhone’s 5G and satellite connectivity.
