Apple’s next budget iPhone could bring hardware upgrades while retaining some features of its predecessor. The iPhone 18e is expected to arrive in 2027, following the iPhone 17e launched in March this year. The latest leak points to changes in processing power and the front camera, while the display and rear camera setup could remain largely unchanged. The Cupertino-based tech giant has yet to confirm the handset or disclose its expected price.
iPhone 18e Specifications Leaked
Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) claimed in a Weibo post that the iPhone 18e is said to feature a 6.12-inch LTPS OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The screen would be slightly larger than the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 17e, but would retain the same refresh rate rather than move to a smoother 120Hz panel.
The upcoming iPhone 18e handset is also tipped to use Apple’s A20 chip, reportedly built on a 2nm process. This would replace the A19 chip used in the iPhone 17e, which is based on a 3nm process. The leak, however, does not include performance figures for the upcoming chipset.
An earlier leak suggested the iPhone 18e could get 9GB of RAM, up from 8GB on the iPhone 17e. The extra memory could help support Apple’s AI features, some of which reportedly require 12GB of RAM.
For photography, the iPhone 18e could retain a single 48-megapixel rear camera. The tipster has not indicated whether the rear camera will receive any hardware changes. The front camera, however, may get a 24-megapixel sensor, compared with the 12-megapixel front camera on the iPhone 17e.
iPhone 18e Launch Timeline
The tipster expects the iPhone 18e to launch in 2027, in line with earlier reports suggesting a spring release. The company launched the iPhone 16e in February 2025 and the iPhone 17e in March 2026, but the company has yet to confirm when its next budget iPhone will arrive.
