Not upgrading to iPhone 18 Pro or Duo? Here’s what’s coming next year

iPhone Duo preorders just begun, and iPhone 18 Pro has been on the market for about a month. Of course, iPhone Duo is backordered through January right now, so whether or not you’re considering buying these phones – it makes it really easy to think about what’s coming next.

2027 is going to be a relatively big iPhone release year for Apple. First, the company will be continuing the iPhone 18 lineup after it introduced a split release schedule last month. Then, in the fall, the company will debut a new round of flagships in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. Here’s what to expect.

Spring 2027

iPhone 18

For the first time, Apple will be introducing its base iPhone in the spring. Upgrades for the iPhone 18 aren’t quite clear, though more RAM is one of the key rumors. Thermal upgrades will likely happen as well, as well as the new Apple C2 modem.

It’s possible Apple will update the design to fall more in line with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro, though we don’t yet know.

This phone will of course equip the A20 chip, and it’ll probably start at the same $899 price point that iPhone 17 currently sits at – after it was increased from $799 last month.

iPhone 18e

This phone will most likely just end up being a chip bump from the A19 to A20 chip, and debut in the Spring alongside the iPhone 18. Earlier this year, reports indicated that Apple would share many components between the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, though it isn’t quite clear what that could mean for the devices.

iPhone Air 2

Out of all of the spring iPhone releases, this one is the one to look forward to. After receiving a lukewarm reception with the initial iPhone Air model, Apple went back to the drawing board and decided to modify the design to fit an ultrawide camera into the device. This meant the phone couldn’t be released last month.

Personally, I don’t think an ultrawide camera is too important – though many people will see one camera on the back of the phone and immediately assume it’s less premium, so it’ll probably end up being an important upgrade for the sake of sales. Plus, ultrawide photos can be fun at times.

While not confirmed, I wouldn’t be surprised if it integrates a smaller Dynamic Island, similar to iPhone 18 Pro. iPhone Air 2 will likely also jump from Apples C1X modem to the C2.

It should also have a larger battery, reportedly as large as 3500mAh. That’s a roughly 10% improvement from the original iPhone Air.

Fall 2027

iPhone 20 Pro

For the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, Apple is expected to debut a fully redesigned iPhone to celebrate. It’ll reportedly be much more glassy, feature significantly slimmer bezels, and ditch the flat edge design of the iPhone 12 and later. It should also offer a much smaller Dynamic Island, likely with a hole punch selfie camera and under-display Face ID.

Personally, I’m slightly skeptical that this’ll truly be a replacement to the “Pro” phone for thermal reasons, but time will tell. iPhone Duo seemingly has strong thermals while not featuring an aluminum unibody, so my concern might not be relevant. It’ll offer two, larger display sizes: 6.4-inch and 7-inch. This largely comes from the bezel reduction.

If you’re holding out for iPhone 18 Pro, this “iPhone 20” is definitely the phone to wait out for.

iPhone Duo 2

Lastly, Apple will release a successor to its just-announced iPhone Duo next fall. There aren’t many substantial rumors for this phone, though one could hope Face ID and better cameras are in the pipeline. Of course, you can expect next-generation Apple Silicon with the A21 Pro chip next year.

My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:

• Anker Ultra-Slim MagSafe Battery Pack
• AirPods Pro 3 (2x ANC vs AirPods Pro 2!)
• Anker Nano 45W Fast Charger with Smart Display
• Anker Prime 3-in-1 25W Compact MagSafe Charger
• Logitech MX Master 4 Mouse for Mac
• AirTag 2 4-pack (50% improved Precision Finding!)
• Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Charging Stand for iPhone
• MOFT MagSafe Kickstand Wallet for iPhone

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