Rumor: smaller Dynamic Island but no under-screen Face ID for iPhone 18
As Apple continues towards their goal of a true all-screen iPhone, it looks like the iPhone 18 will get them one step closer.
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Rumor Replay: iPhone 18, iPhone Fold, iPhone Air 2
This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: all the latest expectations for next year’s iPhone 18 lineup, including iPhone Fold and iPhone Air 2, based on current rumors.
Expand Expanding Close14-year prison term sought over theft of trade secrets on iPhone 18 chip process [U]
Six people have been arrested after Apple chipmaker TSMC said that several then-employees tried to steal trade secrets relating to the company’s most advanced chip process. TSMC fired the individuals concerned and is now taking legal action against them.
Update: Three of the six have now been indicted, and prosecutors are seeking a 14-year prison sentence for one of them – see the update at the end …
Expand Expanding CloseApple planning simplified version of the Camera Control for iPhone 18
Earlier this week, a random report from an account with zero track-record claimed that the iPhone 18 will drop the Camera Control button. We were skeptical of the rumor at the time, and now a new leak from a more reliable source has the full context.
As it turns out, Apple isn’t planning to remove the Camera Control from the iPhone 18 altogether, but rather introduce a dumbed-down version of it.
Expand Expanding CloseIs the Camera Control button one of the biggest iPhone flops? [Poll]
A random report from an account with zero track-record for anything claims that the iPhone 18 will drop the Camera Control button as too few people are using it.
The claim is entirely meaningless, but I strongly suspect that it’s right in one respect: that hardly anyone is using the feature …
Expand Expanding CloseApple’s iPhone 18 launch will drop a surprising model, per report
The iPhone 17 unveiling is only weeks away, and iPhone 18 rumors are starting to pick up. A new report corroborates previous claims that the iPhone 18 launch lineup will drop a surprisingly important model.
Expand Expanding CloseNext year’s iPhones could get bigger than usual upgrades with A20 chip
We’re just weeks away from Apple unveiling its iPhone 17 lineup, but a new report corroborates prior indications that next year’s iPhone 18 models are due for an especially strong performance boost thanks to innovations with the A20 chip.
Expand Expanding CloseApple’s chip deal with Samsung is great news for future iPhones
One of the bullet points in Apple’s announcement of its increased US manufacturing spend made a big, but very non-specific, claim. Apple said that it was working with Samsung on an “innovative new technology which has never been used before anywhere in the world.”
Although the company was being mysterious, we likely know what that means – and it’s great news not just for the iPhone 18, but also for future iPhones beyond it …
Expand Expanding CloseApple to shake up iPhone release calendar with base iPhone 18 launch in spring 2027, six months after Pro models
Corroborating The Information reporting from over the weekend, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has laid out his predictions for the next few years of iPhone launches in a post on Craft today. Most notably, Apple will move away from releasing all of its flagship phones at the same time in the fall, a rigid calendar that has been in place since the iPhone 4s in 2011.
Going forward, Apple is moving to launching its cheaper budget iPhones in the first half of the year, and Pro models in the fall. This means you will see versions of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 19 arrive in the first and latter half of the same year, across 2027, respectively.
Expand Expanding CloseiPhone 18 Pro will have a curious design choice if this rumor is true
Apple has long pursued the goal of eliminating bezels and notches to create a truly uninterrupted iPhone display—without compromising features like Face ID or the front-facing camera. That journey has brought major design changes over the years, and the next steps may introduce some unusual choices as Apple iterates toward its all-display vision.
Expand Expanding CloseApple may transition to a staggered release schedule with iPhone 18 lineup: report
According to a new report from Wayne Ma from The Information, Apple may be looking to shake up its release strategy with the iPhone 18 lineup, with some models launching in the fall as they would normally, and others moving to a new spring release window.
Expand Expanding CloseApple will switch to a much better type of memory for the iPhone 18, says leaker
A leaker with a decent track record says that Apple will be switching to a much better type of integrated memory for the iPhone 18 line-up, offering three benefits over the current RAM spec.
It’s also looking increasingly likely that all iPhone 17 models will get 12GB of integrated memory to boost AI performance …
Expand Expanding CloseApple to adopt 2nm chip technology with next year’s iPhones, per report
According to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s A20 chip should adopt TSMC’s 2nm process for the very first time. This means that next year’s iPhone 18 models should all take the leap to a next-generation chip architecture. Previously, it was unclear whether or not all iPhone 18 models would adopt 2nm tech.
Expand Expanding CloseApple expected to bring new version of its 5G modem to iPhone 18 Pro models
Apple this year introduced C1, its first in-house 5G modem, with the iPhone 16e. However, the company isn’t expected to bring its own modem to more expensive iPhones until at least next year. Analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities has now corroborated this rumor by saying that Apple is working on a new version of its modem for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Expand Expanding CloseThe biggest problem with a folding iPhone has been solved, says new report
Apple famously likes to take its time with most forms of new tech, preferring to be best rather than first, and that’s been true of a folding iPhone.
The company reportedly hasn’t been impressed with the quality of Android models to date, with one issue in particular most bothering the iPhone maker …
Expand Expanding CloseGurman: Foldable iPhone and ‘another new iPhone design’ coming in 2026
The iPhone 16e just launched, but Apple has four more iPhone models launching this fall—including the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. But per Mark Gurman, 2026 may be even bigger for the iPhone thanks to two brand new designs in the works: a foldable and another mysterious new design.
Expand Expanding CloseDoes Apple’s C1 chip mean mmWave 5G is dead?
Apple achieved a major milestone yesterday, when it launched an iPhone with its own in-house modem instead of a Qualcomm one: the C1 chip.
This has been a key goal for the company for a great many years for two reasons, so finally ticking the box is a pretty big moment …
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung reportedly working on a 3-layer stacked camera sensor for iPhone [U]
Sony has had the exclusive manufacturing contract for iPhone camera sensors for more than a decade, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year suggested this would be changing with the iPhone 18. This has now been backed by two further reports, one of which provides a little more detail.
Samsung is said to be working on a 3-layer stacked camera sensor for Apple, which should improve the performance of future iPhone cameras. Update: Digitimes now backs the report …
Expand Expanding CloseApple wanted the iPhone 18 to be that ‘single slab of glass’ but it looks unlikely
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive had long seen the holy grail of iPhone design to be “a single slab of glass” without any bezels. A new supply-chain report says Apple had hoped that the iPhone 18 would see it achieve that objective, but it now looks unlikely.
The goal, says the report, is to have the entirety of the front of the device be display, with the screen flowing seamlessly into the sides of the phone …
Expand Expanding CloseReport: 2026 iPhone will prioritize AI upgrades by reworking RAM setup
Apple is always working on new iPhones that are multiple years out, and today a new report details a noteworthy internal change coming to the 2026 iPhone 18 lineup.
Expand Expanding CloseRumor Replay: ‘HomePad,’ iPhone 18 camera, Vision Pro 2, more
This is Rumor Replay, a new weekly column at 9to5Mac that provides a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with my analysis and commentary. Today: Apple’s new ‘HomePad’ device, Vision Pro 2 release date, iPhone 18 camera change, and more rumors.
Expand Expanding CloseKuo: iPhone 18 Pro to feature upgraded main camera with variable aperture
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on a significant camera upgrade for the iPhone 18 coming in 2026. The analyst says the iPhone 18’s main rear camera will be upgraded to a variable aperture lens for the first time.
Expand Expanding CloseFuture iPhones getting even more memory: 12GB from next year
This year’s entire iPhone 16 line-up got 8GB RAM to run Apple Intelligence features, and it looks like we can expect 12GB in future models.
A previous report suggested that iPhone 17 Pro Max would get 12GB, and it now appears that this may be true for both iPhone 18 Pro models …
Expand Expanding CloseOnly iPhone 18 Pro models likely to get 2nm chips, suggests analyst
We may still be waiting for iPhone 16 deliveries tomorrow, but the rumor mill is already busy looking ahead to both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18.
A tweet by supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims to shed light on Apple’s plans for the adoption of smaller process chips …
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