iPhone 18 rumors say selfie camera could get another big boost
Although Apple just upgraded the selfie camera on the iPhone 17, it doesn't seem like the company is quite done yet
š¤³ Apple is rumored to upgrade the entire iPhone 18 familyās selfie cameras
šø The company is said to introduce a sharper 24MP sensor on each model, including the first foldable iPhone
š This comes after Apple gave the iPhone 17 family its new Center Stage selfie camera
šļø A separate leak says the iPhone 18 Pro could fit the selfie camera in a smaller Dynamic Island
š Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold in late 2026
Apple is upgrading the selfie camera on the iPhoneā¦ again. A new rumor, floated in a JP Morgan equity research report (seen by MacRumors), says that the iPhone 18 series will get a new 24MP selfie camera, which will help make your selfies look sharper with more detail. This upgrade is said to arrive a year after Apple introduced one of the biggest upgrades ever in the selfie department with Center Stage, the companyās 18MP square selfie camera that can take horizontal selfies while you hold your phone vertically.
The new selfie camera will reportedly come to all of next yearās new iPhones, and later to more affordable options. That would include the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, the next-generation iPhone Air, and Appleās first foldable iPhone, which is said to get the worldās first under-display selfie camera of its kind. In 2027, the baseline iPhone 18 will likely adopt it. Appleās rumored iPhone 17e and iPhone 18e will reportedly each stick with standard 12MP selfie cameras, in line with what the current iPhone 16e has.
A 24MP selfie camera was widely rumored to make its way to the iPhone 17 family, but that ultimately didnāt happen. Apple still gave the phones a noteworthy upgrade, though. Not only is the new 18MP sensor sharper and offer better detail, but the added ability of taking horizontal selfies while you hold your phone vertically has been a game-changer for a lot of users (myself included). Any extra resolution will certainly be welcome, which it seems we can expect from next yearās iPhones.
In addition, a separate rumor says that the new selfie camera will be crammed into a smaller Dynamic Island, at least on the iPhone 18 Pro. Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station says that Apple might utilize a special manufacturing technique called HIAA (hole-in-active-area) that will carve out a smaller portion of the screen for the selfie camera than whatās required today. Itās unclear how much smaller the cut-out will be and whether itāll make a noticeable difference.
Apple is expected to announce the first round of iPhone 18 devices toward the end of 2026.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heās been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.