Apple iPhone 18 will be slightly downgraded to cut costs
Apple could be planning downgrades to certain specifications on the standard iPhone 18 as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy, according to a series of leaks from Weibo user Fixed Focus Digital.
In his claims, the leaker said the standard iPhone 18 will feature “certain manufacturing downgrades” that bring it closer to the more affordable iPhone 18e. The goal appears to be maintaining the device’s price point rather than increasing retail prices, even as component and manufacturing costs rise.
Fixed Focus Digital then followed up with details that suggest both the display and chip could see notable changes. According to the leaker, the iPhone 18’s display specifications could be reduced, resulting in a slightly inferior screen quality compared to its predecessor. The manufacturing process used for the display is also said to be “taking a step backward.”
For context, the current iPhone 17 features a 6.3-inch display with ProMotion and up to 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. Considering how important of an upgrade ProMotion was, if the rumour holds true it seems likely that brightness levels could be the main display spec being scaled back.
The chip inside the iPhone 18 could also see changes. While both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e share the A19 chip name, the standard iPhone 17 version packs a five-core GPU, compared to four cores on the 17e. The higher-end iPhone 17 Pro meanwhile uses an A19 Pro chip with a six-core GPU.
As a result, one possible downgrade for the iPhone 18 could be a reduction from five GPU cores to four, effectively aligning it more closely with the lower-tier model. The leaker also suggested Apple may tweak the chip’s branding to make the downgrade less obvious.
Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for both the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e is reportedly scheduled to take place simultaneously in June, which could indicate tighter alignment between the two models than in previous generations.
Previous differences between the standard and “e” models, such as Dynamic Island and ProMotion, camera setups and battery life, have helped distinguish the two devices. It remains unclear which of these features will continue to separate them in the iPhone 18 lineup.
Apple of course is set to stagger the launch of their upcoming iPhones. The. iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and the rumoured iPhone Fold/Ultra is set to follow the usual fall launch schedule for iPhone launches, while the non-Pro models, including the iPhone 18e and maybe even an iPhone Air 2, is set to be announced some time in early 2027.
As with most leaks, these details should be taken with a pinch of MSG, but if accurate, they do seem to hint at Cupertino taking drastic measures to prevent iPhone costs going up, even if it means the upgrades are subtle or non-existent at all.
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