Apple is reportedly preparing to launch the iPhone 18e in early 2027 alongside the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2, and a new leak suggests the affordable model will focus mainly on performance and camera upgrades while keeping much of the iPhone 17e hardware.
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims the iPhone 18e will use Apple’s upcoming A20 chip while retaining a 6.12-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The phone is also expected to keep a single 48MP rear camera, which means Apple appears unlikely to make major changes to the rear camera system this generation.
iPhone 18e Could Get a 24MP Front Camera
Digital Chat Station also says Apple is considering a 24MP front camera for the iPhone 18e, which would represent one of the biggest hardware changes over its predecessor.
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However, the exact sensor remains uncertain, especially since Apple’s newer iPhone models already use an 18MP front camera. Apple could instead bring that newer camera system to the iPhone 18e while keeping the overall design familiar.
The A20 chip will likely become the main upgrade, especially because it is expected to use TSMC’s newer 2nm manufacturing technology. Apple has already introduced A20 Pro hardware in its higher-end models, while the regular A20 chip has yet to appear.
Most iPhone 17e Features Could Stay
Other leaked specifications remain largely unchanged, including the 60Hz OLED display and 48MP rear camera. The leak also does not clarify whether Apple will replace the notch with Dynamic Island.
Apple appears to be limiting major hardware changes as it works to keep the iPhone 18e positioned as its lower-cost iPhone option despite rising memory, storage, and chip costs.
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