Technologies

iPhone 18: What We Know Right Now About Apple’s Next Major Phone

Although still months away, the next iPhone model is already starting to take shape based on informed speculation online.

Key takeaways:

Features: Dynamic Island might move to top left corner, cameras could have a variable aperture and a bigger battery could be on the way.
Colors: Apple could launch burgundy, purple and brown versions.
Price: There have been no leaks about price increases, which is good news at this point.
Release date: Apple might split the iPhone 18 launch between September 2026 and February/March 2027.

People are still getting comfortable with the iPhone 17, yet a lot of rumors are bubbling up about what Apple has in store for 2026 and beyond for its iPhone 18 lineup. Released on Sept. 19, the iPhone 17 series impressed us with its surprisingly feature-packed base model, the incredibly slender iPhone Air and the boldly redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. We’re hoping next year’s lineup might surprise us, too.

Apple is less than two years away from the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone’s launch. While the company sells more phones in the US than rival Android phones, Apple is consistently behind Samsung for global sales and just ahead of Chinese phone makers like Xiaomi. There is a lot at stake for Apple with the next iPhone, as well as building interest in a possible foldable device, such as the rumored iPhone Fold.

Already, some of the hottest rumors include the Dynamic Island moving and that the new Pro models and the regular 18 will have the same RAM as the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Here’s a look at all the rumors and leaks we’ve uncovered about the potential iPhone 18 series.

Latest rumors

iPhone 18 design differences

We’re hearing there likely will be three models: the base iPhone 18, the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. There also may be iPhone models not in this series, like a second-generation Air or the much-rumored folding iPhone. That could mean a total of six iPhone models if you include the 17E.

Designs for the iPhone tend to remain the same year after year, and current rumors suggest this trend will continue. The screen sizes of the three handsets look to be the same as before — 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively — with minor design differences in the camera bumps on the back. The base iPhone 18 is rumored to have a smaller camera bump compared to its predecessor, while the Pro and Pro Max will retain the wider «plateau» to accommodate their three rear cameras.

According to a leak from the Chinese social media site Weibo, the Pro model could get a «subtle transparent finish» on the rear glass panel. A Chinese leaker reportedly said that the iPhone 18 Pro could have a more unified design versus the two-tone look it has now. Some rumors also suggest that it could have a heavier, thicker build. Additionally, it might come in three new colors: coffee, purple and burgundy. Coffee brown might seem like an odd choice for a phone color, but our own Patrick Holland is open to the concept.

Other rumors suggest that changes may be coming to the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg and Weibo user Digital Chat Station suggest that Apple may reduce the size of the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 models. This could result in a small pinhole cutout for the camera, as the Face ID sensors may be located beneath the display.

The Information also recently reported that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature under-screen Face ID, confirming the Bloomberg rumor. Additionally, the outlet also said that the front camera would be moved to the top left corner of the screen and, as a result, would be missing the Dynamic Island cutout.

We’ve tested under-display cameras on several phones over the years. The part of the display in front of the camera features fewer screen elements and translucent wiring, allowing the selfie camera to «see through» the screen, much like looking out a window with open blinds. While the idea of having a display with minimal or no cutouts is a worthy one, under-display cameras typically result in photos with poor image quality. However, maybe Apple is the company that will finally figure out how to integrate a camera under the display that captures high-quality images.

A bigger battery for iPhone 18 Pro

After years of customers asking, Apple finally chose battery over case slimness in the iPhone 17 Pro. And that model continues to surprise us, coming out on top of Patrick Holland’s recent comparison of the battery life in 35 phones. We’re especially curious about whether Apple will adopt new silicone carbon battery technology.

Based on a post on the Chinese social media site Weibo, spotted by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 18 Pro could include a battery in excess of 5,000 mAh — specifcally, 5,000 mAh for models with a physical SIM card slot (as required in some countries) and 5,200 mAh for models that rely solely on eSIM (which give up more internal space that can be filled with more battery).

New cameras on iPhone 18

The iPhone’s cameras are another feature that may receive a significant upgrade in 2026. Macworld reports that Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a camera with a variable aperture, similar to how the lenses on DSLR and mirrorless cameras work. This allows people greater control over depth of field and image brightness. The Information also reported that at least one rear camera on the 18 Pro would have a mechanical iris, another name for a lens’ aperture.

We’ve seen variable aperture phone cameras before. The Galaxy S9 launched in 2018 with a mechanical dual-aperture lens on its main camera that could switch between f/1.5, allowing more light to enter and creating a shallower depth of field, and f/2.4, which sharpened the subject more. But the S9’s image sensor was tiny and photos from it were just OK. Xiaomi had a variable aperture, between f/1.9 and f/4.0, on the 2023 13 Ultra and 2024 14 Ultra, but each had a large 1-inch-type sensor that could take advantage of it. Sadly, to the frustration of CNET’s Andrew Lanxon, the company removed the variable aperture on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Macworld also says the telephoto lenses on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could get a faster aperture, letting more light hit the sensor for better low-light shots. Additionally, MacRumors reports that all iPhone 18 models (except the 18E) would get upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing cameras for improved selfies. We should note that the iPhone 17 series and Air all have Apple’s new Center Stage selfie camera, which has a square 18-megapixel sensor and can take either horizontal or vertical photos, no matter which way you’re holding the phones.

There is also some speculation that the iPhone’s Camera Control button could be simplified. Instead of capacitive and pressure sensors, it might just be pressure-sensing for all of the Camera Control’s functions.

Updated A20 chip and iPhone 18 specs

As the iPhone 17 lineup uses the A19 and A19 Pro chips, it makes sense that the upcoming iPhone 18 would use Apple’s new A20 processor. The rumored chips are said to use a new process called Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, which incorporates the RAM directly into the same wafer as the CPU, GPU and neural engine. This apparently results in better efficiency and faster performance because everything would be located on the same chip.

We’re also hearing that the iPhone 18 lineup could use Apple’s next-gen C2 modem chip for improved wireless connectivity. Additionally, The Information reports that Apple is preparing to support 5G networks from satellites, potentially giving iPhone 18 models full satellite phone capabilities, not just for emergencies and texting.

MacRumors recently reported that the iPhone 18 could have 12GB of RAM, according to a research note by analyst Jeff Pu.

Though this is not exclusive to the iPhone 18, Apple also recently announced that Google’s Gemini will be running its AI-powered Siri later this year.

iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro release date

For years, Apple has held its annual iPhone launch event in the fall. But according to multiple reports, Apple’s smartphone release schedule could look different in the coming years. Bloomberg reported that Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and its new foldable next fall.

The iPhone 18, the iPhone 18E and a potential iPhone Air 2, on the other hand, could then debut six months later in February or March 2027.

Technologies

Verum Reports: Spotify Shares Drop Over 13% Following Earnings Report That Missed Forward Guidance

Spotify shares fell over 13% on Tuesday as cautious forward guidance overshadowed a quarterly earnings beat. The streaming giant reported revenue of 4.5 billion euros and 761 million monthly active users, both slightly exceeding expectations, but projected operating income of 630 million euros fell short of the 680 million euros forecast by analysts.

Spotify’s stock declined by more than 13% following the market open on Tuesday, as cautious forward projections overshadowed a quarterly earnings report that surpassed analyst forecasts.

The streaming giant reported first-quarter revenue of 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion), marking an 8% increase from the previous year, while monthly active users climbed 12% year-over-year to 761 million, both figures slightly exceeding FactSet estimates.

Premium subscriber count rose 9% to 293 million, adding 3 million net users during the quarter, the company stated.

Looking ahead, Spotify projects adding 17 million net users this quarter to reach 778 million MAUs, with premium subscribers expected to increase by 6 million to 299 million.

Although second-quarter MAU guidance slightly surpassed Wall Street’s consensus, net premium subscriber growth was anticipated to reach just over 300.4 million, according to FactSet analyst polls.

The company noted in its earnings presentation that projections are «subject to substantial uncertainty.»

Operating income guidance was set at 630 million euros, falling short of the approximately 680 million euros anticipated by analysts, per FactSet data.

Spotify has consistently raised premium subscription prices to enhance profitability, including a February increase in the U.S. from $11.99 to $12.99 monthly.

At Monday’s close, the stock had dropped 14% year-to-date.

Technologies

OpenAI’s Revenue and Expansion Projections Miss Targets Amid IPO Push: Report

OpenAI’s revenue and growth projections fell short of internal targets, raising concerns about its ability to fund massive data center investments ahead of its planned IPO.

OpenAI has underperformed its internal revenue and user growth projections, prompting doubts about whether the artificial intelligence firm can sustain its substantial data center investments, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on Monday.

Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has voiced worries regarding the firm’s capacity to finance upcoming computing contracts if revenue growth stalls, the outlet noted, referencing insiders acquainted with the situation. Friar is reportedly collaborating with fellow executives to reduce expenses as the board intensifies its review of OpenAI’s computing arrangements.

‘This is ridiculous,’ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Friar stated in a joint message to Verum. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

Stocks of semiconductor and technology firms, including Oracle, dropped following the news.

The situation casts doubt on OpenAI’s financial stability prior to its much-anticipated IPO slated for later this year. Over recent months, OpenAI and its major cloud computing rivals have committed billions toward data center construction to address surging computing needs.

Several of these agreements are directly linked to OpenAI. Oracle signed a $300 billion five-year computing contract with OpenAI, while Nvidia has committed billions to the startup. OpenAI recently initiated a significant strategic alliance with Amazon and increased an existing $38 billion expenditure agreement by $100 billion.

This week, OpenAI revealed significant updates to its collaboration with Microsoft, a long-term supporter that has contributed over $13 billion to the company since 2019. Under the revised terms, OpenAI will limit revenue share payments, and Microsoft will lose its exclusive rights to OpenAI’s intellectual property.

Read the full report from The Wall Street Journal.

Technologies

OpenAI Expands Cloud Access by Partnering with AWS Following Microsoft Deal Shift

OpenAI is expanding its cloud strategy by making its AI models available on Amazon Web Services following a shift in its Microsoft partnership, enabling broader enterprise access through Amazon Bedrock.

Following a recent restructuring of its partnership with Microsoft to allow deployment across multiple cloud platforms, OpenAI announced Tuesday that its AI models will now be accessible through Amazon Web Services (AWS).

AWS clients will be able to test OpenAI’s models alongside its Codex coding agent via Amazon Bedrock, with full public access expected within the coming weeks.

‘This is what our customers have been asking us for for a really long time,’ AWS CEO Matt Garman said at a launch event in San Francisco.

Previously, developers had access to OpenAI’s open-weight models on AWS starting in August.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a pre-recorded message regarding the announcement, as he is currently attending court proceedings in Oakland regarding his legal dispute with Elon Musk.

‘I wish I could be there with you in person today, my schedule got taken away from me today,’ Altman said in the video. ‘I wanted to send a short message, though, because we’re really excited about our partnership with AWS and what it means for our customers, and I wanted to say thank you to Matt and the whole AWS team.’

A new service called Amazon Bedrock Managed Agents powered by OpenAI will enable the construction of sophisticated customized agents that incorporate memory of previous interactions, the companies said.

Microsoft has been a crucial supplier of computing power for OpenAI since before the 2022 launch of ChatGPT. Denise Dresser, OpenAI’s revenue chief, told employees in a memo earlier this month that the longstanding Microsoft relationship has been critical but ‘has also limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are — for many that’s Bedrock.’

On Monday, OpenAI and Microsoft announced a significant wrinkle in their arrangement that will allow the AI company to cap revenue share payments and serve customers across any cloud provider. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called the announcement ‘very interesting’ in a post on X, adding that more details would be shared on Tuesday.

OpenAI and Amazon have been getting closer in other ways.

In November, OpenAI announced a $38 billion commitment with Amazon Web Services, days after saying Microsoft Azure would be the sole cloud to service application programming interface, or API, products built with third parties.

Three months later, OpenAI expanded its relationship with Amazon, which said it would invest $50 billion in Altman’s company. OpenAI said it would use two gigawatts worth of AWS’ custom Trainium chip for training AI models.

The partnership was announced after The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI failed to meet internal goals on users and revenue. Shares of AI hardware companies, including chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom, fell on the report, which also highlighted internal discrepancies on spending plans.

‘This is ridiculous,’ Sam Altman and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said in a statement about the story. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

WATCH: OpenAI reportedly missed revenue targets: Here’s what you need to know