Apple’s 2018 iPhone range is still a bit of a mystery. How many models will launch? What will they be called, and how big will the screens be? Whether you’re looking for the iPhone XS, the iPhone 9, the iPhone 11, or just the iPhone 8S, here are all the rumors about Apple’s 2018 iPhones.
It’s official: Apple will announce new products on September 12. The spotlight rests on new iPhone devices, and rumors and leaks are at a fever pitch. The latest suggests Apple will unveil a 6.5-inch, 5.8-inch, and 6.1-inch iPhone — you heard that right, three iPhones, yet again.
The names are not certain either, but recent reports suggests Apple will opt to call its new phones — at least some of them — iPhone XS. We’ve done our best to make sense of all the leaks and rumors, and here’s our rundown of what to expect from the 2018 iPhone range.
Recently, it was reported that both the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch handset will be referred to as the iPhone XS. But it’s still unclear how Apple will differentiate between the various sizes. According to the latest report by 9to5Mac, sources with close ties to the matter claim the 6.5-inch will apparently be called the iPhone XS Max — rather than using the Plus label as it has in the past.
There’s no confirmed name for the third 6.1-inch LCD iPhone just yet, though there’s speculation it could be the iPhone 9. Remember the iPhone X is pronounced “10.”
The recent report from 9to5Mac also gave a few details for what we could expect in the new models. Sources close to the matter claim that Apple’s 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch iPhones, reportedly known as the iPhone XS and XS Max, respectively, will include 4GB of RAM and a new A12 chip. Depending on the market, the larger model will also include dual SIM options.
Almost every iteration of the iPhone has seen some internal improvements that make it faster, stronger, and better than the iPhones that came before. Apple typically makes a major update to its iPhones every other year.
Last year, however, was a major exception since the tech giant released the iPhone X. In 2018 though, it looks like Apple may be returning to its typical update cycle with this year’s handsets being internally referred to as S-updates. International Business Times claims that while Apple is making some pretty phenomenal design updates to most of the 2018 iPhone lineup, the hardware upgrades will be more reserved.
And while Apple typically adds features to its iPhone each year, this time around Apple may remove something from the iPhone’s box — the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. What that means is that if you use wired headphones and didn’t already have an adapter, you will have to buy one separately. The report comes from Apple Insider, which cites Cirrus Logic as telling investors that its guidance for the fiscal second quarter “all but confirms that Apple will not bundle the DAC headset converter ‘dongle’ in its new iPhone models.”
While the Pencil debuted with the iPad Pro in 2015, the company has yet to make a Pencil that is compatible with the iPhone. Pencil support for iPhone has been a rumor for years, and Trend Force stoked the fire in August when it claimed 2018 iPhones would support it. However, not only was the rumor unfounded, it looks like Apple has no plans of adding Pencil support for iPhones. Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo states Apple will not add Pencil support for the iPhone because it does not offer a “good user experience.”
Apple may introduce dual SIM support — a first for the range — for the 6.1-inch phone, according to data discovered in the beta version of iOS 12. The 6.1-inch phone is expected to cost less than other iPhone models in 2018, and adding dual-SIM support could make it even more attractive in regions where such a feature is almost a necessity. In China, India, and parts of Europe, second SIMs are common on competing smartphones.
The code inside iOS 12 has entries for checking if the device is a dual-SIM model and the status of the second SIM. Apple will release iOS 12 in time for it to be pre-installed on this year’s new phones and it currently does not offer any with dual-SIM capability. This follows an earlier report claiming a 2018 iPhone may come with dual-SIM capabilities in China. Economic Daily News, a Chinese language paper, states it has talked to multiple Foxconn employees who confirm the dual-sim iPhone is known as model 804 and it will only be available in China.
Also, rumors suggest the 2018 iPhone models could have eSIM support, according to a report from Barrons. An electronic SIM card is built into a phone, allowing you to switch between carriers whenever you want — without the need to go to a store and pick up a physical SIM card. Apple already uses eSIMs in the Apple Watch and some iPad models.
The modem may also be different in this year’s iPhones. Qualcomm CFO George Davis told investors, analysts, and the press, “We believe Apple intends to solely use our competitor’s modems rather than our modems in its next iPhone release.” Since the announcement of the next iPhone is likely coming within the next few months, we can be sure that Davis is certain Qualcomm modems will not be used in the upcoming iPhone. If Apple does rely solely on Intel’s modems for the next-gen iPhone, data speeds may be slower than those of competing handsets featuring the Qualcomm modem. However, this may only affect phones connected to certain networks, in certain regions around the world.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also predicted 2018 iPhones will feature baseband chips from Intel, not Qualcomm. It’s also possible the next iPhone may offer 5G technology, Business Insider reports, based on Apple applying to the Federal Communications Commission for a new wireless technology called millimeter wave. This technology allows devices to access more bandwidth than is currently possible on existing cellular networks.
Apple partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has begun production of the next series of the chip we expect to see in this year’s iPhone. Likely named the A12, the new chip will apparently use a 7-nanometer design that will help make it smaller, faster, and more power efficient than the 10-nanometer chips currently in circulation in the latest series of the iPhone.
What will the iPhone XS look like? 9to5Mac shared a leaked image that showcases a brilliant gold color — much like the gold on Apple’s September event invites — as well as an edge-to-edge screen. The notch, the little cutout found at the top of the iPhone X, is hidden in the image, but likely still present. The bottom handset appears to be the 6.5-inch iPhone XS while the top is the 5.8-inch iPhone XS.
Visual leaks of the upcoming devices have come from images of dummy units leaked on Twitter. In early August phone leaker Benjamin Geskin showed off all three upcoming iPhones with the 6.1-inch model in the center: It stands out because it has a single-camera lens. Aside from this, the design does not differ greatly between them, and all three phones have a screen notch when viewed from the front.
Before this, a look at the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Plus and the smaller, 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD screen came from dummy units of the devices leaked on Twitter. Dummy units have been commonly leaked before, and are often 3D mockups based on either specification used by manufacturers, or specs obtained from leaks. Therefore, they should be treated as visualizations of what we currently expect a phone to look like.
The 6.5-inch, OLED iPhone XS Plus has been rumored to look like the iPhone X, and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the phone will be sold in three colors at launch: Black, white, and gold. He continues to add that Apple’s 6.1-inch phone, possibly called the iPhone 9, will feature an aluminum body, LCD display, and Face ID. This phone will be the least expensive of the trio and will be available in gray, white, red, blue, and orange. However, we’re not at all certain about the color lineup just yet as another analyst predicted this model would be available in pastel shades including yellow, pink, and blue.
Apple will officially announce its latest crop of iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4, and likely a few other surprises on September 12, at the Steve Jobs theater. We’ll be covering the event live from Apple’s campus, so stay tuned for details.
We still don’t have an actual release date for the phones, but we believe that date will likely be on September 21 — a week after pre-orders begin. While we’d hope to see all of the 2018 iPhone devices hit store shelves simultaneously, there’s a chance that the 6.1-inch LCD model will be delayed for several weeks.
According to Trend Force, Apple anticipates its 6.1-inch LCD iPhone to be its most popular model. Analysts at Trend Force said the 6.1-inch “budget” iPhone will account for 50 percent of iPhone production in 2018. While we don’t know pricing, analysts and journalists believe the phone will be priced between $650 and $800.
The 5.8-inch iPhone XS could start at $900 — leaving the iPhone XS Plus to start at $1,000. There is speculation that Apple will lower the starting price of the next-generation iPhone X by $100 in order to strengthen and boost sales of the device. That way, the company can then push the iPhone XS Plus into the $1.000 price range instead.
Katy Huberty, an analyst for Morgan Stanley, predicts the 6.
