Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce the iPhone 18e in 2027 as the successor to the iPhone 17e, which launched in March 2026. A fresh leak has revealed several expected specifications of the upcoming budget iPhone, suggesting improvements to its processor and front camera while retaining some of its predecessor’s features.
According to the latest information, the iPhone 18e could feature a 6.12-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, Apple’s next-generation A20 chipset and a 24-megapixel front camera. Apple has not officially confirmed the device, and details about its pricing and launch date remain unavailable.
iPhone 18e Display and Processor Details (Expected)
Tipster Digital Chat Station, in a post on Weibo translated from Chinese, claims that the iPhone 18e could feature a 6.12-inch LTPS OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate.
The reported screen would be slightly larger than the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 17e. However, Apple may continue using a 60Hz panel instead of upgrading to a 120Hz display, meaning the refresh rate could remain unchanged.
The upcoming smartphone is also tipped to run on Apple’s A20 chipset, which is reportedly based on a 2nm manufacturing process. This would mark a shift from the A19 chip in the iPhone 17e, which uses a 3nm process. The latest leak does not provide any performance benchmarks or additional details about the A20 processor.
iPhone 18e RAM and Camera Specifications
An earlier leak suggested that the iPhone 18e could feature 9GB of RAM, compared with the 8GB offered by the iPhone 17e. The additional memory could help support Apple’s artificial intelligence features, some of which reportedly require 12GB of RAM.
In the camera department, Apple may retain a single 48-megapixel rear camera on the iPhone 18e. The latest report does not specify whether the existing rear camera hardware will receive any changes.
The front camera, however, could receive a significant resolution upgrade. The iPhone 18e is tipped to feature a 24-megapixel selfie camera, up from the 12-megapixel front-facing sensor on the iPhone 17e. If accurate, this would be one of the notable hardware changes expected in the upcoming model.
iPhone 18e Expected Launch Timeline
The iPhone 18e is expected to launch sometime in 2027, according to the tipster. Earlier reports have also pointed towards a spring launch window.
Apple introduced the iPhone 16e in February 2025, followed by the iPhone 17e in March 2026. Based on this release pattern, the next affordable iPhone could arrive in spring 2027.
However, Apple has not announced an official launch date or confirmed any of the reported specifications. Its pricing and availability details are also yet to be revealed.