iPhone 18 rumors: Release date, leaks, more

Source Domain: mashable.com

Apple’s flagship smartphone hasn’t taken a year off from its updates since 2007, and barring a massive surprise, 2026 won’t be any different.

The Cupertino-based tech giant is widely expected to launch a new lineup of iPhones later this year, including the new iPhone 18, the 18 Pro, and the rumored iPhone Ultra, the company’s first-ever foldable.

As we await the iPhone 18 — and its updated operating system, iOS 27 — tidbits of news and rumors continue to trickle out. While we won’t see any of the new Apple phones in the wild for months, we can at least bring you the most substantiated and most likely updates in one place.

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iPhone 18 release date and pricing

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone, you should circle September in your calendar. That has been the month for Apple’s big showcase event for a very long time, and there’s no reason to believe Apple will change that in 2026. Expect to see new Apple CEO John Ternus take the stage to introduce it; his term of office officially begins Sept. 1.

What he’ll be introducing, alas, may put more of a dent in your wallet. Thanks to the ongoing RAM shortage caused by the AI industry (also known as RAMageddon), tons of smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are seeing huge price hikes. Experts who’ve spoken to Mashable say that trend isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

As the world’s number one smartphone maker, Apple has some advantages over its rivals, but a price increase is definitely coming. We had hoped otherwise — Apple raised prices on its new MacBooks earlier this year, while also introducing a low-cost $599 laptop that put big pressure on its Windows rivals.

But then outgoing Apple CEO Tim…

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