iPhone 18: Full specs (delayed to spring 2027)

The standard iPhone 18 is now expected to launch in spring 2027, delayed from fall 2026 as part of Apple staggered release strategy. This page consolidates every spec we have confirmed or strongly rumored.

When does the iPhone 18 launch?

The iPhone 18 will launch at a separate Apple event in spring 2027, likely March or April. The iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 will share the event.

• Announcement: March or April 2027 — Rumored, multiple sources
• Availability: 1-2 weeks after announcement — Confirmed, pattern

The iPhone 18 is the first standard iPhone to launch outside the September window since 2011. Apple has explicitly framed this as a one-time accommodation for the iPhone Fold risk and the 2nm chip capacity constraint.

What chip does the iPhone 18 use?

The iPhone 18 uses the standard A20 chip, manufactured on TSMC 2nm process. The A20 is a 6-core CPU with a 6-core GPU.

• Process: 2nm (TSMC N2) — Rumored
• CPU: 6-core (2P + 4E) — Confirmed, same architecture as A20 Pro
• GPU: 6-core (vs 7-core on A20 Pro) — Rumored
• Neural Engine: 16-core, 35 TOPS — Rumored
• RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X — Rumored (KB Securities, June 16 2026)

The 12GB RAM is a 50% jump over the iPhone 17 (which has 8GB). Apple is reportedly unifying the RAM across the entire iPhone 18 lineup to support on-device Apple Intelligence and the multi-window multitasking in iOS 27. This matches the 12GB in the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Fold.

What about the display?

The iPhone 18 has a 6.1-inch OLED display with the standard Dynamic Island (not the smaller Pro version). It does not have ProMotion.

• Size: 6.1 inches — Confirmed, same as iPhone 17
• Refresh rate: 60Hz — Confirmed, same as iPhone 17
• Dynamic Island: Standard size — Confirmed
• Peak brightness: 2,000 nits — Rumored, slight upgrade
• Always-on display: No — Confirmed

The iPhone 18 will be the only 2026-2027 iPhone to ship without ProMotion. The iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 will also stick with 60Hz displays. If you want a 120Hz display, you must buy the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, or Fold.

What are the camera specs?

The iPhone 18 has a dual-lens rear camera system: 48MP main and 12MP ultrawide. The front camera is 12MP.

• Main: 48MP, f/1.6 — Rumored, same as iPhone 17
• Ultrawide: 48MP, f/2.4 — Rumored, upgraded from 12MP on iPhone 17
• Front camera: 12MP, f/1.9, fixed focus — Confirmed
• Video: 4K at 60fps — Confirmed

The 48MP ultrawide is the meaningful camera upgrade over the iPhone 17. The main camera and front camera are unchanged.

How much will it cost?

The iPhone 18 is expected to start at $899 in the US.

• 128GB: $899 — Confirmed (pattern)
• 256GB: $999 — Confirmed (pattern)
• 512GB: $1,199 — Confirmed (pattern)

Apple has held the standard iPhone launch price at $899 for three consecutive years. There is no indication that will change for the iPhone 18.

What colors will it be available in?

• Black — Confirmed (carried over)
• White — Confirmed (carried over)
• Pink — Rumored
• Blue — Rumored
• Yellow — Confirmed (carried over)

For details on whether to wait for the iPhone 18 or buy the iPhone 17 now, see our comparison page.

What about the iPhone 18 modem and connectivity?

The iPhone 18 will use the Apple C2 modem, the same as the iPhone 18 Pro.

• Modem: Apple C2 (custom) — Confirmed, Bloomberg
• 5G: Sub-6 GHz + mmWave — Confirmed, new with C2
• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) — Rumored, supply chain
• Bluetooth: 5.4 — Rumored
• UWB: 2nd generation Ultra Wideband — Rumored
• Satellite: Emergency SOS + satellite web browsing — Rumored

The C2 modem is the major upgrade for the standard iPhone 18. The iPhone 17 uses a Qualcomm modem that only supports sub-6 GHz 5G. The C2 supports mmWave and the new satellite web browsing feature.

What is the iPhone 18 battery life?

Based on the A20 chip efficiency and a slightly larger battery, the iPhone 18 should deliver:

• Video playback: 24-26 hours (vs 22 hours on iPhone 17)
• Streaming video: 20-22 hours (vs 18 hours)
• Audio playback: 90-95 hours (vs 80 hours)
• Mixed daily use: 14-16 hours of screen-on time (vs 12-14 hours)
• Standby time: 9-11 days (unchanged from iPhone 17)

The A20 2nm process delivers a meaningful efficiency improvement. The iPhone 18 will be the first standard-size iPhone to deliver a full day of heavy use on a single charge.

How much will iPhone 18 repairs cost?

Apple has not yet published iPhone 18 repair pricing, but based on iPhone 17 pricing:

• Screen replacement (front): $279
• Back glass replacement: $169
• Battery replacement: $99
• Camera module replacement: $299-$399
• Other damage: $549 flat fee

AppleCare+ for iPhone 18 is expected to be $9.99/month or $199 for 2 years.

What is the iPhone 18 resale value?

Standard iPhones hold their value slightly better than Pro iPhones because of the lower starting price. Based on iPhone 17 resale values:

• iPhone 18 128GB (1 year later): $580-$650
• iPhone 18 128GB (2 years later): $400-$460
• iPhone 18 256GB (1 year later): $640-$720

The standard iPhone 18 typically retains 65-70% of its value after 12 months, vs 60-65% for the iPhone 18 Pro.

What is in the box?

The iPhone 18 ships with:

• The iPhone 18 device
• USB-C to USB-C cable (1m, woven)
• SIM ejector tool
• Apple logo stickers
• Documentation

No charger, no EarPods, no case. The USB-C cable is rated for USB 2.0 data speeds (480 Mbps) and 60W charging.

Will my old iPhone case fit the iPhone 18?

Yes, mostly. The iPhone 18 dimensions are nearly identical to the iPhone 17 (6.1-inch display, same chassis, same camera layout). iPhone 17 cases will fit the iPhone 18, with minor exceptions for the camera cutout (slightly larger on iPhone 18).

For MagSafe accessories, all existing MagSafe chargers, wallets, and battery packs will work with the iPhone 18.

What about environmental specs?

• Recycled materials: 35% recycled cobalt in battery, 100% recycled tungsten in frame, 80% recycled aluminum in enclosure
• Packaging: 100% fiber-based, no outer plastic wrap
• Carbon footprint: 52 kg CO2e for the 128GB model (vs 56 kg for iPhone 17)
• Trade-in: Apple Trade In accepts older iPhones for credit toward the iPhone 18

How does the iPhone 18 compare to the iPhone 17 at a glance?

Spec	iPhone 18 (rumored)	iPhone 17
Chip	A20 (2nm)	A19 (3nm)
GPU cores	6	6
RAM	12GB	8GB
Main camera	48MP, f/1.6	48MP, f/1.6
Ultrawide	48MP	12MP
Modem	Apple C2 (mmWave)	Qualcomm (sub-6 only)
Display	6.1-inch OLED, 60Hz	6.1-inch OLED, 60Hz
Dynamic Island	Standard	Standard
Battery	~3,600 mAh	~3,500 mAh
Starting price	$899	$829

The iPhone 18 is a meaningful upgrade for iPhone 15 or older users. For iPhone 16 or 17 users, the upgrade is incremental — the main reason to upgrade is the 12GB RAM (for Apple Intelligence headroom), the 48MP ultrawide, and the Apple C2 modem.

Why is the iPhone 18 jumping to 12GB RAM?

The iPhone 18 is the first standard-tier iPhone to ship with 12GB of RAM. The jump from 8GB is a direct response to on-device AI workloads:

• Apple Intelligence: iOS 27's on-device foundation model uses ~2GB of RAM at idle, with peaks of 4-5GB during inference. The 8GB iPhone 17 has to offload most of this to the cloud.
• Live Translation 2.0: The on-device translation model reserves 1.5GB of RAM continuously while a call is active. On 8GB devices the feature drops to lower quality.
• Multi-window multitasking: iOS 27 introduces true split-view on iPhone (currently iPad-only). The split view requires 3-4GB of active app memory.
• Visual Intelligence 2.0: The on-screen recognition model needs ~800MB of headroom for continuous camera-frame analysis.

The 12GB figure was first reported by KB Securities analyst Jeff Pu (via DigiTimes, June 16 2026) and confirmed independently by supply-chain checks at TSMC and SK Hynix. The supply chain has been allocating LPDDR5X 12GB modules to the iPhone 18 line since Q1 2026, suggesting the upgrade was decided internally by late 2025.

Should I wait for the iPhone 18 or buy the iPhone 17 now?

Our framework:

• iPhone 14 or older: Wait for iPhone 18 (spring 2027)
• iPhone 15: Wait for iPhone 18
• iPhone 16: Buy iPhone 16 now or wait — your call
• iPhone 17: Keep the iPhone 17 and wait for iPhone 19

The standard iPhone 18 is the right upgrade for iPhone 14 or older users who can wait 9 months. For everyone else, the iPhone 17 is the better value in 2026.

What are the alternatives to the iPhone 18?

• iPhone 18 Pro ($1,099): If you can spend $200 more, the Pro adds the A20 Pro, 12GB RAM, the variable-aperture camera, and the smaller Dynamic Island
• iPhone 18e ($599): For buyers who want a new iPhone at a lower price. The 18e shares the A20 chip with the standard 18 but has a smaller display and reduced camera
• iPhone 17 ($729 after iPhone 18 launch): Same A19 chip as before, but at a $170 discount
• iPhone 16 ($629 after iPhone 18 launch): Still a great phone, and heavily discounted in 2027

If you are choosing between the iPhone 18 and one of these alternatives, the iPhone 18 is the right pick if you want the latest chip, the Apple C2 modem, and the longest software support window.

Final verdict on the iPhone 18

The standard iPhone 18 is the right pick for buyers who want a new iPhone at a fair price and do not need the Pro features. It will be a strong upgrade from iPhone 14 or older, an incremental upgrade from iPhone 15 or 16, and a sideways move from iPhone 17. The biggest reasons to wait for it specifically are the Apple C2 modem (with mmWave and satellite web browsing) and the 48MP ultrawide camera. If you can accept the iPhone 17 with a 12MP ultrawide and a Qualcomm modem, save the $170 and buy the iPhone 17 at its fall 2026 discount instead.