Apple is reportedly preparing to launch the standard iPhone 18 in the first half of 2027, with an early 2027 release considered more likely. According to Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the company plans to release the standard models separately following the improvements seen in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
The upcoming device is expected to offer better battery life through a combination of increased capacity and a more power-efficient processor. While the tipster did not reveal the exact capacity, the leak suggests Apple plans to equip the phone with a larger battery than its predecessor. Additionally, the iPhone 18 is expected to feature Apple’s A20 chipset, manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 2nm process. The standard model will reportedly use a less powerful version of the A20 processor compared with the A20 Pro found in the Pro models, though the new manufacturing process should improve performance and energy efficiency.
Despite these internal upgrades, the standard iPhone 18 will reportedly miss out on a specific design change. Digital Chat Station states that Apple’s smaller Dynamic Island will remain exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro series, meaning the standard model is expected to keep the existing Dynamic Island design.
The leak also suggests that Apple could increase the price of the standard iPhone 18. While no exact figure was provided, the tipster noted the potential increase comes amid rising component costs across the smartphone industry. This follows a $100 price increase for the iPhone 17 last year. Apple has not officially confirmed any specifications, pricing, or launch dates for the iPhone 18.
