Apple will unveil new MacBook Pro models this week, but something else has already been revealed. Details of the iPhone 18e have emerged from China, via leaker Digital Chat Station. Generally, they’re handy for early information about Chinese brands, which lends credence to the listed specs.
We’ll have to wait before judging the information’s accuracy. The 18e, if the last phone’s launch is any indication, will only officially appear in March 2027. That’s plenty of time to decide if it’s worth upgrading from this year’s ‘bargain’ iPhone.
Turning iPhone 18e
According to the leak, the iPhone 18e will arrive with a 60Hz 6.12in OLED screen and one of Apple’s A20 processors. The single 48MP camera remains. Time will tell whether the company upgrades other aspects over the existing 48MP f/1.6. The 17e’s 12MP could be swapped out for a new 24MP unit in 2027. That’s at least one confirmed upgrade for the so-called entry-level iPhone.
The listed specs… don’t actually sound great for Apple’s device. If wholly accurate, Digital Chat Station’s details suggest a very incremental upgrade over this year’s release. That’s a constant problem for smartphone makers, who hit a wall before the ongoing RAM shortage made upgrades even tougher to come by. As usual, Apple isn’t the first to encounter this problem. For a change, it probably won’t use marketing to claim it was actually the industry pioneer.
Pricing for the phone is anyone’s guess. A Chinese price of around R14,000 is being passed around. Locally, the iPhone 17e launched cheaper than expected at R14,600. If pricing holds steady here, anyone who skipped this year’s release might find the iPhone 18e a more attractive choice — incremental upgrades or not.
