Apple's upcoming vanilla iPhone 18 could end up as a rebranded iPhone Air 2. The Cupertino Giant could replace the standard bulky chassis in favour of a thin baseline. This could mean there could be no iPhone Air 2, but a slimmer iPhone 18 smartphone.
iPhone 18 to Boast a $999 Price Tag
According to leaked details from Early Apple, Apple plans to take the iPhone Air 2 and rebrand it as the iPhone 18. This smartphone could reportedly boast a $999 (approximately Rs 97,000) price tag, standardising the Air form factor as the new Vanilla iPhone. The post also mentions that Apple may launch it "next Spring".
The tipster quoted previous mockups of the supposed "iPhone 18" showcasing its horizontal camera visor with dual rear cameras and an LED flash. A side profile view further confirms the phone's thin body, with the camera bar protruding quite a bit, as it did on the iPhone Air.
Besides, the front display panel seemingly maintains a clean aesthetic with symmetrical bezels across all sides. However, it is unclear whether the device will adopt the iPhone 18 Pro's reportedly smaller Dynamic Island.
While this information does come as a surprise, it doesn't seem like a far-fetched reality considering the leaks we've seen so far. For starters, a previous iPhone Air 2 design leak points toward the phone arriving with dual rear cameras and a 2nm A20 chipset alongside a smaller dynamic island.
Besides, the iPhone Air 2 was expected to feature an 11% battery upgrade, bringing it up from 3,149mAh to 3,500mAh. While it's a tad bit smaller than the standard iPhone 17's battery, the switch to 2nm and optimisations in iOS 27 should make up for it.
Considering the iPhone 18 could've had nearly identical specifications, it makes sense that Apple might want both phones to converge. That said, iPhone Air sales weren't the strongest, so by bridging the spec gaps and offering it as the iPhone 18 at a higher starting price of $999, users won't have much of a choice.
Besides, this move also works in Apple's favour as a great counter to the ongoing RAM crisis. Apple might be able to justify these upgrades to the standard iPhone at a $200 price markup, rather than being able to justify a price markup on the standard iPhone 18, which would've been pretty similar to the standard iPhone 17.
That said, the new iPhone 18 is expected to be revealed in Spring 2027, which could be around March or April 2027. The firm is also expected to unveil its more affordable iPhone 18e, which may also see a price increase. More information about the upcoming iPhones should be revealed as we transition into 2027, so stay tuned.
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