The iPhone 18e could be a modest update for Apple’s budget-friendly phone, with a faster chip as the main draw. Early rumors suggest a 60Hz screen, a familiar design and few new features.
iPhone 18e chip upgrade could be the biggest change
Unfortunately for those waiting for a budget upgrade, Apple’s cheapest iPhone might get a familiar kind of refresh: more horsepower in the same old package. That could make it a perfectly sensible buy for people who just want a faster iPhone without paying premium prices.
That’s especially important as prices rise for iPhones and other Apple products, due largely to supply constraints caused by AI companies’ seemingly insatiable demand for RAM and storage. But how long can the company keep selling yesterday’s designs before bargain hunters start expecting more?
The leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital said in a Weibo post on Monday that a new chip is the only confirmed iPhone 18e upgrade at this point.
“So what about this year’s 18e?” Fixed Focus Digital wrote (post has been translated). “We can only confirm that the main change is a chipset upgrade. The standard 18 and 18e share some manufacturing processes, so it won’t get too many major upgrades… Wow…”
Fixed Focus Digital also pointed to a previous prediction about the iPhone 17e. The leaker correctly predicted the budget phone would keep the screen notch, even as other sources expected Apple to add the Dynamic Island. That could hint the iPhone 18e will miss out on the feature, too, even as Apple continues to add it to new products, including the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. However, the leaker never stated this directly.
Earlier leak outlines A20 chip, 60Hz screen and a single camera
The new rumor follows an earlier post from another Weibo leaker, Digital Chat Station, that laid out other predictions for the iPhone 18e.
“The iPhone 18e also features a 60Hz screen, a 6.12-inch 60Hz LTPS OLED, a 2nm A20 chip, a 48MP single camera, and the front camera may be upgraded to 24MP,” wrote Digital Chat Station last month. The leaker said the iPhone 18e will arrive in 2027.
Apple hiked iPhone starting prices by $100 in September, boosting the iPhone 17e to $699. For potential iPhone 18e buyers, the takeaway is simple: Expect more speed, possibly the same price, but no big surprises.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
