The iPhone 18 may arrive as a completely different smartphone from what many expected. With the base model not due to launch before next spring, fresh speculation suggests Apple could reshape its entire entry-level lineup rather than simply refresh the existing formula.
Earlier leaks indicated the standard iPhone 18 would appear alongside the iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2. A newer claim, however, points towards a far bigger shake-up, one that would blur the line between two separate devices.
iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18 may become one device
According to the latest rumour, Apple may drop the base iPhone 18 altogether and rebrand the iPhone Air 2 as its new entry-level handset. The idea is not confirmed, with leaker Early Apple stating that the company is merely “exploring the idea” in a recent post on X.
Under this scenario, the Air 2 would remain the same device described in previous leaks but carry the iPhone 18 name. The rebrand would also push the starting price of the standard iPhone up to around £790, with the Air label retired for good.
This is not the first time such a shift has been floated. Leaker Jon Prosser previously mentioned the possibility of the slim Air design becoming the default iPhone, though he framed it as a longer-term development rather than an imminent change.
There is precedent for Apple introducing a pricier design and later making it the norm. The iPhone X was the company’s first handset priced from around £790 and launched alongside the iPhone 8. A year later, Apple dropped its older design and released the more affordable iPhone XR next to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
Early reactions to the rumour have been largely negative. Many users have highlighted the drawbacks of the slim iPhone Air, including its single camera, smaller battery and mono speaker. For many, the biggest concern is the roughly £160 price gap, thought to be part of the reason the iPhone 17 has been Apple’s best-selling model and the iPhone Air its weakest.
Why the change is unlikely to happen soon
While it would make sense for the base iPhone to eventually resemble the Air, a move this quickly appears improbable. Multiple leaks have already pointed to the existence of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, as well as the iPhone Air 2, from sources with stronger records than this one.
Early Apple operates a relatively new account with no established track record. The leaker shared an iPhone 18 Pro claim earlier this year that has yet to be confirmed, which is reason alone to treat this report cautiously.
The wider context also weighs against a rapid overhaul. An ongoing memory price crisis and broader supply chain issues continue to affect the smartphone industry. In these conditions, Apple is more likely to retain a design and production process that is already developed and cheaper, helping it avoid additional costs.
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Image: phonearena.com
