iPhone 18 Rumour: Faster Chip and More RAM, but Still 60Hz
Now that the iPhone Duo has been released, it's time to look ahead to the next iPhone announcements. They will be the iPhone 18 and 18e. Some possible specifications for the latter have been mentioned.
The iPhone e-series is Apple's budget-friendly iPhone line, though "budget-friendly" is always a relative term when it comes to Apple. For example, the iPhone 17e, currently the latest model in that series, was released at a price of €719. That price has since risen to €789 due to the sharp increase in the cost of memory chips. That doesn’t bode well for the suggested retail price of the iPhone 18e.
Digital Chat Station on iPhone 18e
But with a launch still half a year away at the time of writing, it’s too early to talk about prices. Digital Chat Station agrees, which is why he prefers to discuss the 18e’s specifications. He lists them in a post on his Weibo account.
- 6.12-inch LTPS display with 60Hz refresh rate
- Apple A20 processor
- 48MP rear camera
- 24MP selfie camera (unconfirmed)
We can draw several conclusions from this. For example, the iPhone 18e will continue to feature a single rear camera, which, moreover, will not differ in resolution. The situation is less certain regarding the selfie camera. Digital Chat Station mentions 24MP, but notes that he is less certain about this figure. We also find it unlikely: that would be higher than the 18MP Centre Stage camera in the iPhone 17, and Apple rarely equips a cheaper model with something better than the more expensive one. It’s more likely that the 18e will inherit that same square 18MP sensor. Because of that format, it doesn’t matter whether you take selfies in portrait or landscape mode: they are always the same width and height.
He doesn’t mention anything about the RAM, which is a shame, because RAM is precisely what is driving the price this year. For that, we have to go back to an earlier rumour: analyst Jeff Pu reported in July that the iPhone 18e will have 9 GB of RAM, 1 GB more than the 17e. Ming-Chi Kuo cited the same figure a month earlier. More memory at a time when memory chips are expensive: that is yet another reason to expect a higher suggested retail price.
Still 60Hz: indefensible in 2027
But as is often the case with Apple, many things remain the same. The display, for example. And we’re not referring to the screen size, but to the refresh rate. It remains at 60Hz, which is virtually indefensible in 2027. As a result, animations will look choppy and sluggish, even though the A20 chip is capable of producing smooth visuals with ease.
If you’re not willing to put up with that but still want an affordable iPhone, you’re best off chequing out the iPhone 17e right now. It doesn’t have a 120Hz display either, but it is still available for purchase. Apple discontinues the previous “e” model as soon as the new one is officially released: for example, the iPhone 16e disappeared from the Apple Store within a week of the 17e’s announcement in March 2026, and Apple has only sold it as a refurbished model since then. Furthermore, the price of the 17e has only gone up since its launch. So waiting for the 18e will likely result in a more expensive device with virtually the same specs. Older models such as the iPhone 16 are also an option, though the same applies here: especially if the iPhone 18 is released at the same time as the 18e, Apple will shift its entire line-up.
When is the iPhone 18e coming?
Apple still has a little time to come up with an excuse for that 60Hz display. The launch of the iPhone 18e is expected sometime in the spring of 2027—think March 2027. That might also be when we get to see the iPhone 18.
