🔋 Apple is reportedly giving the iPhone 18 a boost in battery life
📱 A new leak suggests the base model will look largely the same
⚙️ It’ll also sport the upcoming A20 processor
💰 The price could also go up compared to the iPhone 17
📆 Apple is expected to announce the phone next spring
The standard iPhone 18 missed Apple’s September keynote to make way for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo announcements, but it’s still in the cards for the company. A new rumor says that the device is coming in early 2027, and it could carry a welcome upgrade: better battery life.
Digital Chat Station shared on Weibo that it expects the new iPhone 18 to last longer on a full charge. It’s not clear how big the leap will be compared to the iPhone 17, but given that the 17 can easily cruise through a full day on its own, it’s exciting that the 18 could be even better.
It’s not clear if Apple will be adding a bigger battery to the iPhone 18, or if these improvements will be related to the chipset. Speaking of which, Apple is also rumored to include the more efficient 2-nanometer A20 processor in the iPhone 18, a step down from the A20 Pro that’s in the iPhone 18 Pro and what’s rumored to come to the iPhone Air 2. It should deliver faster performance while keeping power consumption to a minimum, but we’ll need to see how it fairs once we’ve had a chance to play with it.
Other rumors suggest the iPhone 18 will carry the same design as the iPhone 17, with a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, dual rear cameras, and plenty of color choices. The Dynamic Island will also remain the same size as it is now, skipping the smaller footprint it’s adopted on the iPhone 18 Pro.
Digital Chat Station also claims that the iPhone 18 will cost more than the iPhone 17 did at launch. The 2025 smartphone currently retails for $899, and while it’s not clear what sort of price hike we could see, there’s a chance the next generation will start at around $999, all thanks to RAMageddon.
The iPhone 18 is rumored to arrive in early 2027, alongside the iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s 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.