Should you hold out for iPhone 18? What we know about the next-gen Apple phones.
The iPhone 17 lineup offers a huge range of updates and improvements, plus it heralds the introduction of an all-new iPhone line, the iPhone Air. The new 17 series brings better cameras, a new design, and better processing, but not everyone is sold on the 2025 iPhone lineup. What’s next? The iPhone 18 series, of course.
There are already tons of rumors around the 2026 iPhones, likely to be headlined by the iPhone 18 series. Some of these rumors are years in the making, while others are relatively new. They all, however, point to a pretty huge year for the iPhone.
So, should you wait for the iPhone 18 series instead of buying an iPhone 17 or iPhone Air? Here’s what we know about the iPhone 18 so far.
Even more new iPhone models are coming soon
The biggest change for the iPhone 17 lineup comes in the form of a new device that doesn’t have the 17 branding at all. The iPhone Air is a totally new model in the lineup, built for those who prefer something as thin as possible to something with a long battery life and multiple cameras. That’s alongside Apple doing away with the “Plus” model.
But rumors indicate Apple could make even bigger changes in 2026. Not only is the company likely to release an updated version of the iPhone Air — potentially called the iPhone Air 2 — but it’s also reportedly set to finally debut its first foldable iPhone. That means that the 2026 iPhone lineup could look something like this:
iPhone 18
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
iPhone Air 2
iPhone Fold / iPhone 18 Fold
The foldable iPhone will reportedly be very thin, with early rumors pointing to 4.5 to 4.8 mm when unfolded. Reports suggest it will have a 5.5-inch display on the front and a 7-inch display on the inside. It will also come at a high price. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the device will cost over $2,000, making it even more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.
It’s worth noting that it’s entirely possible that not all of these devices will launch at the same time. It wouldn’t be unheard of for Apple to announce the iPhone Fold in September and release it to the public later in October. Not only that, but some recent reports indicate that Apple might end up delaying the base iPhone 18, releasing it in 2027 instead of alongside the other models in 2026. I would be very surprised to see this happen, however.
Under-display Face ID
Apple may finally do away with the Dynamic Island entirely, or at least make it a whole lot smaller, with new Face ID tech. Reports from The Information suggest that Apple is working on under-display Face ID tech that works more or less the same as Face ID does today, but can work under the screen instead of requiring a cutout.
It’s unclear if Apple will put the entire Dynamic Island under the screen (including the camera), or just the sensors required for Face ID, keeping a small circular cutout for the front-facing camera. Under-display cameras have notoriously made for low-quality photos, but it makes sense that companies like Apple would be working on improving the tech.
The Apple A20 chip
As usual, Apple will almost certainly release a new series of chips for its latest iPhone models. The A20 series will follow on from the A19, and will likely be made up of a base A20 chip and an A20 Pro chip.
Reports from Apple analyst Jeff Pu indicate that the new chips will be built on the same TSMC 3nm process that the A19 chips are built on, and while the performance improvements might be relatively minor, rumors suggest that the chip will offer a Chip on Wafer on Substrate (CoWoS) packaging, which makes for better integration with memory, the neural engine, and other platform components. This will likely be part of a push for better on-device AI performance.
Better cameras
Cameras are always a focus (ha) of new iPhone releases, and while sometimes the improvements are a little minor, the iPhone 18 series may end up getting more impressive camera improvements. According to a leak from Apple leaker @Jukanlosreve on Twitter, the iPhone 18 series will get a new three-layer camera sensor from Samsung, which should make the camera more responsive, while at the same time improving dynamic range and reducing noise.
This would actually be a pretty big change for Apple, considering the fact that Sony has long supplied all of the camera sensors in the iPhone series. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new sensor will be used for the 2026 iPhone’s ultrawide camera.
To update, or not to update?
Obviously, the iPhone 18 series should be better than the iPhone 17 series — phone models improve every single year. But the question remains: should you upgrade now, or wait for next year?
It’s complicated. Basically, if you need a new phone, then upgrade now. If you're happy with your iPhone 15 or 16 Pro or Pro Max, wait a year and see what happens. What you probably shouldn’t do is assume that rumors are fact. Yes, a foldable iPhone has been rumored for a long time, but it’s entirely possible that Apple ends up delaying the release of it for 2027 or beyond.
If you’re on the fence but need a new phone now, you could always upgrade now and sell or trade-in your new device next year once the iPhone 18 series is finally revealed. Year-old iPhones usually retain their value decently well, and you may only be out a few hundred dollars if you keep your device in good condition.
