iPhone 18 could cost more next year, leak hints at bigger battery and new chip

iPhone 18 is yet to be revealed. September this year, Apple introduced three new smartphones, breaking its traditional launch pattern: the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, along with its first foldable, the iPhone Duo. But the standard model was missing at the launch event. Rumours suggest the Cupertino giant will roll out the phone early next year alongside two more models -- iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2. Now, a fresh leak uncovers that the standard iPhone 18 is likely to ship with a notable upgrade in terms of battery and chipset, plus importantly, with a price increase.

Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station took to Weibo and claimed that the iPhone 18 is likely to feature longer battery life than the standard iPhone 17, following the battery upgrade trend seen in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Another point is that it is said to be powered by an A20 chip built on TSMC’s new 2-nanometer process, though it won’t be identical to the A20 Pro chip in iPhone 18 Pro models.

In terms of design, unlike the new Pro models, the leak claims the standard iPhone 18 won’t feature a smaller Dynamic Island. In other words, the phone is likely to ship with the same Dynamic Island as its predecessor.

The leaker also confirmed that the iPhone 18 won’t be spared from a price hike due to the ongoing RAM and memory crisis. So, it may cost more than the current iPhone 17. Though it's worth noting that, like other major tech giants, including Samsung and Google, Apple also increased the prices of its smartphones, including the iPhone 17, which now costs Rs 99,900, up from Rs 82,900.

Not only the iPhone 17, Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro series at the launch event saw a price hike of up to Rs 30,000 over its predecessors. Soon after, Samsung also increased the prices of all devices in its flagship Galaxy S26 lineup by Rs 15,000.

Coming back to Apple, interestingly, despite its price hike, Apple reported record-breaking sales of its devices. iPhone revenue was $57.58 billion in Q4 2026, up 17 per cent year-on-year, following the launch of its pricier iPhone 18 Pro models and price hikes across older iPhones. The company also recorded overall revenue of $114.5 billion, up 12 per cent, with Mac sales rising 24 per cent to $10.79 billion and services revenue reaching $31.57 billion. Apple CEO John Ternus also acknowledged rising memory costs, which continue to put pressure on the company's supply chain.- Ends

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