According to fresh rumors, Apple is preparing a new budget iPhone called the iPhone 18e; a device expected to launch in spring 2027 (AD) and, according to reports, will have specifications beyond expectations for an inexpensive phone.
According to Eitna, these rumors, which have not been confirmed by Apple, indicate that the iPhone 18e could, with a base price of $599, narrow the gap between Apple's budget and flagship models more than ever.
Flagship-level hardware
According to these reports, the beating heart of the iPhone 18e will be the A20 chip; the same chip produced on TSMC's 2nm process and used in the iPhone 18 Pro. Although the version used in the budget model will likely be slightly more limited than the Pro version, it is still expected to deliver flagship-level performance and high energy efficiency.
Other mentioned hardware features include:
- RAM: 9 GB, a noticeable jump compared to the iPhone 17 series that places this phone on par with many flagship models.
- Internal storage: base version with 256 GB capacity and an optional 512 GB choice for heavy users.
Focus on on-device artificial intelligence
According to these rumors, Apple has focused a significant portion of the iPhone 18e's appeal on on-device AI capabilities; an approach aligned with Apple's overall strategy to improve user experience and increase the practical lifespan of devices.
Expected AI features include smarter predictive typing, automatic image analysis and enhancement tools, and advanced audio processing for smoother interactions with Siri.
Competitive pricing and the iPhone 18e's market position
If the $599 price is confirmed, the iPhone 18e will have a smaller price gap against the standard iPhone 18, whose base price is predicted to be around $899; a gap much smaller than previous generations.
This could raise the question of how Apple intends to maintain product-tier differentiation in the future, especially if the budget model can deliver performance close to more expensive models.
Final note
It should be recalled that all this information is based on rumors and reports published in tech media, and Apple has not officially confirmed any of these specifications. Therefore, final details should be treated with caution until the official product announcement.