The next-generation “budget iPhone” is anticipated to debut as early as the start of 2027. Now an exceptionally reliable source has leaked the key specs. The iPhone 18e will get two major upgrades, the report said, but will have an outdated screen.
The Apple iPhone 17e ($559 on Amazon) launched in March 2026, and rumors have long suggested that the iPhone 18e will follow a similar schedule next year. Now, the highly reliable leaker Digital Chat Station has already learned many details about the specifications of the next-generation budget iPhone.
The leak notes that Apple is still thinking of using a panel that’s 6.12 inches in size and has a refresh rate of 60Hz. As before, there should be only one camera on the back of the smartphone with a 48-megapixel sensor, but it will be unclear if Apple will stick to a tiny 1/2.55 inch sensor as before. However, the iPhone 18e is anticipated to be upgraded with two major features. First, a brand new 24-megapixel selfie camera – this is probably the square sensor that has been adopted by the iPhone 18 Pro (Max).
Apple advertises this sensor as having a resolution of 18 megapixels, since only a cropped portion of the sensor is used at any given time. The upside of the square format is that the iPhone doesn’t have to be rotated to take a picture in portrait or landscape mode. Second is that the Apple A19 will be replaced by a new Apple A20 ARM processor that, as previously reported, will come with 9 GB of RAM as opposed to the current 8 GB. As always, speculation like this is not to be taken at face value, as Apple’s intentions may shift before the iPhone 18e is released.
