Apple often keeps the basic design of its products the same for several years, only making big physical changes after a few generations. If you were hoping the upcoming iPhone 18e would look completely different from what is already out there, you might want to adjust your expectations. Recent information suggests the company is taking a steady, familiar approach with this budget-friendly model.
The classic top notch stays for another phone generation
The iPhone line has seen some big screen changes recently, but those shifts take time to trickle down to the more affordable models. Earlier this year, many people guessed that the iPhone 17e would finally get the Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the display. That did not happen, and the classic notch remained in place.
Now, a recent post from serial leaker Fixed Focus Digital on Weibo claims this trend will continue. The leaker states the new phone will follow the current design path without any major visual overhauls. This strongly hints that the classic notch will stick around for at least one more generation, meaning the 18e will look a lot like the 17e from the outside.
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Familiar internals and hardware specs match previous expectations
While the outside stays the same, the inside also looks fairly predictable. The new phone will likely share some manufacturing processes with the mainline iPhone 18, but it will not pack many groundbreaking hardware updates.
Leaks point to the phone keeping the same 6.12-inch 60Hz LTPS OLED screen as the phones that came before it. You can also expect familiar internal specifications, including the capable A20 processor running the show. On the camera front, rumors suggest the phone will carry a 48-megapixel rear camera setup, paired with a possible 24-megapixel selfie camera upgrade on the front.
This strategy makes sense for a budget device. By reusing proven designs and avoiding costly new display tech, the company can keep the price low while still offering a fast, reliable phone for everyday users. If you want the newest screen features, you will have to look at the more expensive models.
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