As soon as upon a time, Apple used to make vital adjustments to the iPhone each two years. A brand new mannequin (iPhone 4, 5, 6, and many others) would launch with an overhauled look, adopted by an S variant that boosted efficiency and smoothed out any imperfections.
That’s not the case. Primarily as a result of iPhone’s maturity, iterative annual upgrades have develop into the norm. In spite of everything, there’s solely a lot it may well enhance 12 months over 12 months. And regardless of what you’ll have examine this 12 months’s telephones, the brand new lineup is trying to be extra of the identical, even with the introduction of a brand new Air mannequin.
That’s why when you’re planning to get a brand new iPhone, it’s possible you’ll wish to look forward to subsequent 12 months’s iPhone 18 sequence. Not like the iPhone 17, 2026’s lineup is ready to carry a few of the largest design and performance upgrades in years, which might make the iPhone 17 really feel decidedly ho-hum.
One thing within the Air
In September, Apple will reportedly launch the iPhone 17 Air—an ultra-slim handset with a complete new kind issue. Thrilling, proper? Perhaps not. First-generation units are sometimes riddled with flaws, and a 12 months later, the iPhone 18 Air will nearly definitely deal with any points with a refined and polished design.
Past that, there appear to be few compelling causes to go for an iPhone 17 Air. The smooth machine will probably have a mediocre battery life, a single rear digital camera, fewer audio system, and different compromises for a premium price ticket. With most individuals popping their telephone right into a case anyway, will a super-slim iPhone actually be value it?
Now that the EU has confirmed that Apple is permitted to launch portless smartphones, the iPhone 18 Air might doubtlessly reap the benefits of that. The top consequence could be a lighter, extremely skinny iPhone that, in contrast to the 17 Air, might justify the shortcomings and expense.
The iPhone 17 Air could be super-thin, however that’s nothing in comparison with a folding mannequin.
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Above the fold
We’ve been listening to a few folding iPhone for years, but it surely lastly looks as if it’s coming. However not this 12 months. In 2026, Apple is anticipated to debut its first foldable smartphone (enter the iPhone 6 Plus joke right here), rivaling Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and altering the iPhone as we all know it.
The 5.5-inch machine is rumored to pack a 7.8-inch interior show, mimicking an iPad mini when opened. It will simply be probably the most dramatic and thrilling iPhone change because the iPhone X in 2017, and plenty of Apple followers are going to wish to bounce on board as early adopters.
Lens aptitude
Even when you’re skipping the iPhone 17 Air and its single digital camera, the iPhone 17 Professional isn’t trying to ship a lot in the best way of significant digital camera upgrades, aside from a 24MP front-facing sensor and a 48MP telephoto lens. Nonetheless, a extra substantial digital camera increase might arrive subsequent 12 months. A minimum of one iPhone 18 mannequin (presumably the Professional Max) will boast a variable aperture lens—a perk lengthy restricted to high-end skilled cameras.
If true, iPhone customers will get to mechanically management how a lot gentle reaches the sensor for the primary time. This might elevate portrait pictures by bettering the utilized depth of subject impact, in addition to minimizing overexposure. Most smartphone customers don’t depend on a devoted DSLR or mirrorless digital camera for capturing their on a regular basis moments. Porting a variable aperture lens to the iPhone might dramatically improve the photo-taking expertise.
The iPhone 17 Professional’s digital camera will likely be excellent, however the actual massive adjustments are rumored to be coming subsequent 12 months.
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A reduce above
Apple launched the Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Professional, and it’s shortly develop into one of many handset’s finest options, with fast entry to timers, scores, background duties, and so forth. However when it’s not in use, it’s nonetheless considerably unpleasant—and that’s not anticipated to alter this 12 months.
Subsequent 12 months, nonetheless, Apple will reportedly swap to under-display Face ID sensors, which is able to probably shrink the Dynamic Island noticeably. The conflicting experiences make it onerous to foretell whether or not the iPhone 18 Professional will characteristic a smaller Dynamic Island or a hole-punch design, but it surely’s protected to imagine it’ll look extra futuristic and convey the iPhone a step nearer to the flawless, glass slab imaginative and prescient coming in 2030.
Chip shift
For a lot of informal customers, Apple’s annual chip upgrades aren’t all that essential. iPhones from years in the past nonetheless run fluidly and carry out in a lag-free method, and a barely quicker processor gained’t actually affect the every day expertise meaningfully. Nonetheless, there could also be a much bigger increase with the iPhone 18 fashions.
In 2026, Apple is anticipated to unveil the A20, switching from a 3nm to a 2nm manufacturing course of. Because of this, the iPhone 18 Professional fashions could possibly be considerably extra succesful and power-efficient. However that’s not all—the iPhone 18 lineup can be anticipated to undertake the second technology of Apple’s in-house 5G modem. Not like the C1 predecessor included with the iPhone 16e, the C2 chip might assist mmWave connectivity and convey different enhancements to the desk.
With the iPhone 17 line probably sticking to Qualcomm’s hungrier modem and 3nm A19 processor, it’s protected to imagine the iPhone 18 could have a superior battery life.
Subsequent 12 months’s iPhone lineup will probably have Apple’s second-generation modem.
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Iteration now, innovation later
In simply 12 months, Apple’s iPhone 18 sequence will probably provide a few of the most distinct adjustments in ages. We’re rumored to be getting an all-new folding kind issue that caters to multitaskers, together with a doubtlessly improved Air mannequin in addition to different vital enhancements.
In the meantime, what is going to the iPhone 17 carry? A skinny physique? A tweaked rear digital camera bump and a value hike? We predict you’ll be higher off shopping for a reduced iPhone 16 and ready until 2026 to get one thing actually new.
