Featured Image Credit: Cheng Xin / Contributor / Getty
The devil works fast, but Apple arguably works faster, as the tech giant prepares for its next big release.
We're getting toward that part of the year where iPhone leaks and rumors head into overdrive, with the iPhone 18 presumably just over the horizon. But what are we in store for in 2026?
Despite the iPhone 15 supporting the massive overhaul of Apple Intelligence, there have been complaints that Apple's innovation is slowing down in terms of yearly releases.
A bit like skeptics bemoan the continued release of FIFA games without much changing, the harshest critics claim Apple isn't doing enough.
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Still, just like FIFA is a chart-topping title every year, Apple carries on making bank on each new iPhone.
There was a mixed response to the iPhone 17 Air, although all eyes are on 2026 as incoming CEO John Ternus will usher in a new era.
Away from whispers that the long-awaited foldable iPhone is just around the corner, the standard iPhone lineup is also sure to get a revamp this year.
Alongside the new A20 Pro Chip that's supposed to offer 15% faster performance and 30% better power efficiency, the iPhone 18 is said to boast a smaller dynamic island, a revamped front camera, an impressive jump to 12GB of RAM to support more advanced Apple Intelligence features, and the in-house Apple C2 Modem for satellite internet browsing.
Screens are apparently going to remain at 6.3 inches for the Pro and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max, but for those complaining that size matters, at least you'll have some new colors to play with.
Many said (Cosmic) Orange is the new black when the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max got a vibrant new shade, and while some dubbed it the 'Pornhub' color, it proved popular among fans. You might be surprised to learn how many people are swayed by the color of an iPhone, but apparently, the 18 line will give us even more shades from the Dulux color chart.
Macworld claims a new contender is entering the ring, with a sultry Dark Cherry option coming alongside the iPhone 18. Although the outlet had previously heard talk of a 'Dark Red' option, this has changed to Dark cherry.
Elsewhere, Pro and Pro Max fans will supposedly be able to pick from Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver.
In a poll by Phone Arena, the Dark Cherry color is a clear winner, while over on Reddit, one person wrote: "I've had almost every iPhone since the first one and they've always been black/spacegrey/whatever, but that dark cherry is the first time I've considered another color. Well done."
Another added: "I never update every year. I think annual release cycles have become just a burden for the company, the customers and the whole ecosystem. But f**k me that dark cherry makes me salivate so much."
A third said: "I've been steadfastly saying I have no need for a new phone. My 13 Pro does everything I want it to. But that Dark Cherry…"
Details are sure to keep emerging ahead of the iPhone 18's planned reveal toward the start or middle of September. You can typically set your watch by Apple, with an all-star announcement event seeing orders flow in, and then phones being shipped. In 2025 and 2024, the new iPhones were revealed on September 9, whereas 2023 left it until September 12.
We're getting an unusually late Labor Day in 2026 (September 7), and as Apple tends to wait until the week after to reveal its new models, September 14 could be one to mark in the diary.
Another twist suggests that only the Pro and Pro Max models will be released in this period, meaning the base iPhone 18 and budget iPhone 18e are rolling over into 2027. This makes a lot of sense if Apple wants to prioritize sales of its high-end products during the busy holiday season, but for now, we'll have to wait and see which rumors remain rumors and which are confirmed as fact.
