The latest iPhone news on 18 leaks, prices, and colors

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and rumored foldable iPhone Ultra on Sept. 9, with mid-September shipping for Pro models. The latest iPhone news also flags likely price hikes, a possible March 2027 delay for the base iPhone 18, and Pro colors such as dark cherry. After yearly updates since 2007, that split is what shoppers need to hear first.

Key Takeaways

• Apple confirmed a Wednesday, Sept. 9 “Surprise and Shine” event; new CEO John Ternus is expected on stage.
• Rumors point to the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and foldable Ultra in mid-September, with the regular 18, 18e, and next-gen Air possibly waiting until March 2027.
• Price hikes look likely: at least $100 to $150, with some estimates of $250 to $300, including a Journal figure of $1,399 for the iPhone 18 Pro.
• Leaks suggest Pro colors of silver, dark gray or black, light blue, and dark cherry, plus 12GB RAM, 5,000mAh batteries, and major camera upgrades.

The iPhone is almost old enough to vote. Mashable’s latest iPhone 18 rumors roundup frames this fall as another annual refresh — Apple’s flagship has not skipped a year since 2007 — with a calendar twist. For more then-and-now gadget history, see our Nostalgia: Then & Now hub.

Barring a massive surprise, 2026 still brings new iPhones. The question is which models arrive in September, and which slip into spring.

When will the iPhone 18 lineup actually launch?

Apple confirmed its fall iPhone event for Wednesday, Sept. 9, tagged “Surprise and Shine.” Mashable says a reporter received an invite and will report live from Apple Park.

The widely expected September set is the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and rumored iPhone Ultra, described as Apple’s first-ever foldable. Those models are believed to be announced on Sept. 9 and released in mid-September. Last year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max hit stores on Sept. 19, Mashable notes for reference.

The regular iPhone 18, cheaper iPhone 18e, and new iPhone Air may not arrive until March 2027. That delay rumor is backed by a report that third-party companies have listed cases for the 18 Pro and foldable Ultra, but not the base iPhone 18. If you want the non-Pro phone, leaks suggest waiting until early 2027.

Why are iPhone 18 prices expected to go up?

Mashable expects Ternus to keynote on Sept. 9, and the devices may cost more. A RAM shortage tied to the AI industry — called “RAMageddon” in the report — has already lifted prices on many phones, laptops, and consoles. Experts told Mashable the trend is not stopping soon.

A starting-price increase is described as all but certain for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Apple recently raised prices on other products. Outgoing CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal in June that “price increases are unavoidable.”

The Journal cited analysis that memory chips in the iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple $150 more than in the iPhone 17 Pro. International Data Corporation reported Apple’s iPhone memory costs have spiked 400 percent.

Mashable says to expect at least $100 to $150 more than predecessors. The Journal estimated $1,399 for the iPhone 18 Pro, or $300 more than last year. A research note seen by 9to5Mac predicted $250 to $300 increases. Those are estimates, not Apple list prices.

What colors and design changes are the leaks showing?

Apple has not released official teasers, Mashable stresses, so current reports could be wrong. Leak volume rose after a hack exposed thousands of internal documents, reportedly including iPhone 18 Pro suppliers and tests. From the sum of reports, Apple is not reinventing the design, though Ternus is reportedly centering the industrial design group.

Further out, the iPhone 20 is said to bring bigger changes, including a curved waterfall display — a future note, not a 2026 promise. Per CNET (like Mashable, owned by Ziff Davis), sizes should match last year: 6.3 inches for the iPhone 18 and 18 Pro, and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Otterbox is already selling 18 Pro cases, with packaging suggesting the 17 Pro and 18 Pro share a size.

Leaker Instant Digital said brightness demands are unusually high, so brighter displays are a reasonable bet. Some models may have a smaller camera bump. Reports also describe a smaller Dynamic Island on Pro models, with one alleged image of a downsized cutout.

Instant Digital said the 18 Pro’s back glass may look unified, versus the two-tone 17 Pro. China reports say the Pro Max could be a quarter of a millimeter thicker and 7 grams heavier due to a bigger battery.

Color leaks point to silver, dark gray or black, light blue, and burgundy, with a wine-like “dark cherry” as the standout versus last year’s “cosmic orange.” Case makers including ESR, Benks, and Torras have listed options; ESR showed deep burgundy, light gray, black, and misty blue for an “iPhone 2026 Pro Max.” Dummy units from leakers such as Sonny Dickson make dark gray look black.

Which camera, chip, and Siri upgrades are rumored?

The phones are expected to run iOS 27 from WWDC 2026, plus a Siri AI beta. Mashable says the iOS 27 beta already lets users try Siri as a chatbot with its own app, plus on-screen awareness and help writing, creating images, and editing photos.

Hardware rumors include 12GB of RAM across the lineup. Pro models already had 12GB while the base had 8GB; Korean outlet The Bell reported the base would match. New A20 and A20 Pro chips are widely expected, with AI a major A20 focus.

Mashable also lists a possible C2 modem, improved LTPO+ display, improved N2 wireless chip, Hotspot and AirDrop reliability gains, and 5G satellite support. Digital Chat Station reported 5,000mAh batteries, a jump over the iPhone 17 Pro and in line with other 2026 flagships, including Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Gurman said the iPhone 18 Pro will have “some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup’s history,” including a telephoto with a larger aperture. Digital Chat Station reported a variable aperture that could capture varying light and more natural in-camera bokeh.

Leaker Ice Universe claimed that feature would be exclusive to the Pro Max, which Mashable called the first hint the regular Pro might miss it. The Pro Max is also rumored to shoot more cinematic video, with stabilization and AI editing tools.

None of this is official until Sept. 9. Until Ternus speaks, treat dummy units and case SKUs as clues, not catalog copy — and remember how far the yearly iPhone ritual has come since 2007.