2026 iPhone preview: 4 major changes that could transform Apple’s lineup

For the last several years, the iPhone line has been stuck in a rut. Incremental improvements to performance and battery life are great, but the iPhones of last year sure seem a lot like the iPhones of 2021.

That started to change in 2025. In the spring, a new strategy for more affordable iPhones, with the iPhone 16e replacing the old SE line. Then in the fall, the iPhone 17 models (more incremental improvements) were joined by the first really new iPhone in years: iPhone Air. But that’s just the start: In 2026, the iPhone shakeup will really kick into gear. Here’s what Apple is planning for next year:

iPhone 17e

In the spring, the successor to the iPhone 16e will be the iPhone 17e (naturally). Last year, when Apple updated its budget phone line from the seldom-refreshed “iPhone SE” to a numbered release “iPhone 16e,” it signaled that the “e” model would be a yearly update, and rumors say Apple will do exactly that.

The iPhone 17e is likely to be a refreshed iPhone 16e: Expect a 60Hz display and a single rear 48MP camera, with an upgrade to the A19 processor and C1X modem, and twice the starting storage (256GB). And we’re almost certain to get MagSafe support after it was oddly left off this year’s model. But there could be two possible major upgrades as well: the notch may be replaced by the Dynamic Island, and the front camera may be upgraded to the new 18MP square-sensor front camera found in the iPhone 17 line.

We expect the new phone to cost the same $599 as this year’s model. Therefore, it will still be hard to recommend it over the standard iPhone 17, which starts at $799 and will still have several features not found in the 17e, including ProMotion and a second ultra-wide camera.

iPhone 18 Pro

In the fall, Apple will introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, accompanied by a larger Pro Max variant. Visually, they should appear very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro, with a wide camera “plateau” on the back and three rear cameras, including wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto.

These are expected to have larger apertures on the telephoto cameras, while the Pro Max variant will reportedly get a mechanically-adjustable aperture on the standard Wide camera. This should help allow users to take images where both the foreground and background are sharp when in good lighting, while allowing more light for nighttime shots.

We’ve also seen a rumor that some of the Face ID sensors will find their way under the display, which will shrink the size of the Dynamic Island area or even reduce it to a simple “punch hole” camera design. A report in December claimed that the camera will move to the left corner for the first time, which could mean the Dynamic Island disappears altogether. We also expect the iPhone 18 Pro models to use Apple’s next-generation C2 modem as well as the N1 networking chip or its successor, too.

Of course, there will be a new chip next year, as there is every year, but the A20 could be a bigger boost than usual. It’s said to be using a new Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging method that will move the chip’s RAM into the SoC package itself, which could bring significant boosts in performance and battery life.

iPhone Fold

The iPhone 18 Pro models won’t be what everyone is talking about next year, though. According to rumors, next year will finally be when Apple actually introduces a folding iPhone. We’ve heard the iPhone Fold is coming “in a couple of years” since at least 2018, but it looks like it really will arrive in 2026.

The folding iPhone is said to be a “book” style folding phone with a 5.3-5.5-inch screen when folded and a 7.7-8-inch inside display. It should be less than 10mm thick when folded, and even thinner than an iPhone Air when unfolded. Most reports say the inside display will be widescreen rather than square like other folding phones. Furthermore, Apple has reportedly solved the creasing problem and has developed a “very strong” hinge.

Expect an A20 or A20 Pro and two rear cameras: wide and ultra-wide. There should be a pair of front cameras as well: one for when the iPhone is folded up and one for when it’s open. Face ID might not be a feature of either of them, though. The compact and ultra-thin design might necessitate a switch to Touch ID in the side button, as seen on the iPad Air.

Above all, expect an eye-watering price. Most rumors suggest Apple will charge over $2,000 for the iPhone Fold (or whatever it’s called), with a figure of $2,400 not unrealistic.

But even with a sky-high price tag, it’s still exciting that we may finally get a look at what Apple has been working on all these years. So, be sure to check out our article on everything we know so far about the folding iPhone for the latest rumors.

iPhone Air 2?

Will there be another iPhone Air? The rumors are mixed. Some say Apple has cut production of this year’s Air and delayed the second-gen model, others say it’s coming in 2026, and a report from The Information in December 2025 said it would release in spring 2027.

So we don’t know. The biggest question is, why doesn’t the current version have a number? If Apple intended yearly updates, why not call it iPhone 17 Air?

A next-generation iPhone Air seems likely, but it’s unclear whether it will be a minor refresh with an A20 chip and some other minor improvements or a massive upgrade with a second camera, one of our biggest complaints about the current iPhone Air. If it’s the latter, it’s likely to launch in 2027.

No iPhone 18 next year!

Of course, the first folding iPhone will be the big Apple news of 2026, but just as significant is the shake-up to the iPhone release schedule. If the current leaks are accurate, there will be no iPhone 18 next year.

Instead, Apple will release only the Pro models, the folding iPhone, and the iPhone Air successor next fall. The iPhone 18—the “base” model most popular with consumers—won’t be released until the following year. It will presumably join the iPhone 18e for a release around March of 2027; a springtime event for those who don’t want to spend $1,000 or more on a new iPhone.