r/apple • u/Radio_TVGuy • 19h ago
Rumor iPhone 18e Could Get Two Key Upgrades While Keeping 60Hz Display
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/iphone-18e-could-get-two-key-upgrades/77
u/ihateshit00 15h ago
The price is now unattractive what’s the point of having a budget model at regular price
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u/EitherCharacter9342 15h ago
Used 15 Pro's and 16 Pro's are a way better deal then 18e.
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u/HFoletto 19h ago
If they offered a 5.4-inch version of this, I'd buy immediately.
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u/-MJ23- 18h ago
Not enough of ‘you’ would buy this hypothetical 5.4 inch phone. After two iphone mini and it still did not sell well to warrant keeping it in the line-up.
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u/Roy_Koopa_DX 18h ago
As much as I want a smaller phone, Apple tried 2 years in an row and yeah not enough of us seem to be interested.
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u/cake-day-on-feb-29 15h ago
2 years in an row
I'd recon they'd have more success with a mini released every 4 years or so. A lot of people didn't buy the first mini because they were still fine with their current one, and a lot of people didn't buy the second year because they were the ones who bought the first year one in the first place.
People who do less on their phone are okay with an older phone and are also the ones who want a smaller phone, because they don't see the need for a massive screen/battery, nor do they want to carry something so heavy/large.
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u/LiquidDiviums 14h ago
I disagree.
A lot of people upgraded during the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 cycle, with the iPhone Pro and standard iPhone being the choice for most people.
The iPhone mini simply didn’t get enough interest to warrant a new version. The iPhone Plus got more interest, yet it was also discontinued. It’s likely that if sales don’t improve drastically, the next iPhone Air will be the last.
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u/HFoletto 18h ago
Yeah, I think you’re right
Apple released risky devices all the time tho, so maybe one day. Still holding to my 13 Mini. I’ll do the second battery replacement next month, so far so good. It’s still working just fine.
To me it’s probably even better that they aren’t releasing new small phones, it’s great to see new flashy devices and not having any desire to spend money on that stuff since I know it has awful ergonomics.
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u/-MJ23- 18h ago
Maybe an iPhone uno(?) would one day be released. iPhone duo size and shape phone without the folding part. Do you think that is something 12 and 13 mini users would buy? Because I think that is more plausible than an updated mini.
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u/HFoletto 17h ago
Personally I wouldn’t. It’s super wide. People discussed this in r/iPhone13Mini a few times.
By itself I don’t think the Uno form-factor makes a ton of sense because of the aspect ratio.
As I see it, the base and Pro/Max always dominates the sales, doesn’t matter what the other device itself is. The Minis sold bad, the Plus sold bad and the Air sold bad. Maybe Apple is able to figure out a 4th iPhone model that sells just as well. I don’t know, I just would like an upgrade path for my current phone, but at the moment I have the best and most modern small phone ever produced…
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u/TheReal2M 16h ago
issue with the minis is that they were just $100 off of the base version, ofc the avg consumer would just spend a tad bit more to get a bigger display and battery
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u/cansofgrease 15h ago
You'd figure the average customer would gravitate towards the cheapest version, but even with that advantage the mini still sold poorly.
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u/shouldiorshouldinot- 17h ago
Well one had terrible battery,
The 13 mini was perfect imo— and it’s a shame not many bought it :/
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u/ZachyWacky0 16h ago
If they can keep the iPad mini around for the few people who buy those, surely they can keep some version of the iPhone mini too, right?
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u/schu2470 15h ago
I had a 12 Mini and the worst part was the battery life. Moved to a Base 15 when the 16 came out and while I miss the smaller form factor it's an improvement in every measurable way. I wouldn't go back to a 5.4" model but also wouldn't go up to the Plus/Pro Max size either. 6.1"/6.3" is a nice size for existing with and using on a daily basis.
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u/seanr999 14h ago
The plus that replaced it sold worse than the mini although it may have just pushed people to the pro.
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u/trlef19 17h ago
If they used silicon carbon battery.. who knows? Most people didn't buy it cause battery was trash
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u/atlwhore_ 16h ago
Most people didn’t buy it cause the screen was tiny despite how loud you all are online you are an insignificant minority
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u/nickjacobsss 18h ago
dude yeah, it's the perfect candidate to be the "mini" in the lineup, and with improvements to battery tech and chip efficiency, it would still have plenty of battery life
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u/HFoletto 18h ago
I think that as well. People would love a Pro mini, but that’s just not feasible, and probably wouldn’t sell well. I don’t think a 18e 5.4-inch would sell that great either, but to me it seems like the best variant for a smaller phone. Less features, just a basic modern compact phone.
IMO it could just be a variant of the 18e, like when you buy an Apple Watch you select the size, and there is barely a price difference.
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u/FruktSorbetogIskrem 18h ago
I don’t know why people think want a Pro mini it’s not possible? There’s already 120hz on a base iPhone 17 and the 2nd 48mp camera would be an issue on the back let alone a third one. On a small device.
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u/FruktSorbetogIskrem 18h ago
The 2nd 48mp camera wouldn’t fit on an mini. So an E mini would make more sense.
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u/Dazzling-Voice7180 18h ago
The mini isn’t ever coming back. Honestly surprised the duo was as small as it was.
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u/gngstrMNKY 12h ago
The psychology of the small-phone people is just fascinating. They agitated until Apple granted their wish, even though it doubtlessly conflicted with all their market research, and the result was a 5% share of iPhone sales. Even though they were proven to be a small minority, they refuse to admit defeat and are just as vocal as they always were.
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u/HFoletto 12h ago
Idk what you’re talking about
Apple released a phone I like, I bought it and still am using it to this day. Just saying I’d like an upgrade path, that’s all
It’s not that deep. Regular and pro/max are what 90%+ of people are going to be buying. It has always dominated the sales and most likely always will. So all other phones are going to sell bad in comparison. Mini, Plus and Air, all sold badly.
I’m not saying another 5.4-inch is going to sell as well as a baseline or pro phone, I’m just saying I like the form-factor and wish they’d release a new one.
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u/sol-4 18h ago
The standard Pro is mini enough. Why does it matter what the screen size is if the overall surface area is similar to a "mini" phone?
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u/HFoletto 17h ago
I don’t think you ever held in your hands the iPhone 13 Mini. It’s way smaller than a regular 18 Pro.
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u/-K9V 17h ago
A lot of people don’t have very big hands is my guess. The current non-Max display is almost the perfect size - I think the Air is a bit better. My 16 Pro is a good size, but I do sometimes feel like the display could be a bit bigger. The Max models are way too big to use comfortably, whereas I can use my 16 Pro perfectly fine with one hand.
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u/cake-day-on-feb-29 15h ago
A lot of people don’t have very big hands is my guess.
You could rephrase this and say "most people don't have abnormally large hands", which would be true, as is the nature of statistics. About half the population even has smaller hands than the average.
If you're a heavy user of your phone, a larger phone is fine, and you're more okay using it with two hands and dealing with the downsides.
But if you're a light phone user, you don't want a phone that can't be used one-handed and is very large/heavy in your pocket.
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u/-K9V 14h ago
But you don’t need “abnormally large hands” to use a non-Max iPhone.
About half the population even has smaller hands than the average.
So you’re kinda saying that a lot of people do just have small hands. Which was my point. People who have average-sized hands, whatever those are, likely wouldn’t find an 18 Pro too large.
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u/Acrobatic-Monitor516 18h ago
There's no way around it: a 60hz panel today is shameful, but at this price point furthermore?
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u/EventMassive1658 19h ago
Gatekeeping 60hz as a pro feature is getting old, but I also find it very funny in a way.
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u/Bea1s24 19h ago
its on the base 17........
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u/mxforest 18h ago
Shouldn't 17e be called the base iPhone? It's the most basic.
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u/Appropriate_Ad8734 18h ago
“regular” model would be more precise, but people dub it “base” because it used to be the base. the e models didn’t exist until 16e.. it used to be SE without the numbers. it’s just how people are used to calling the non-pro and non-e models.
either way the 120hz promotion already wasn’t a “pro-exclusive” feature since the 17. regular 17 was one of the best value non pro models in many years
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u/Appropriate_Ad8734 19h ago edited 18h ago
this is the “e” model… the budget/economic model. the non-pro regular iphone 17 already had 120hz.
it’s no longer exclusive to the pro models
seriously people need to learn how to google before they comment
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u/edenz03 19h ago
I'm a 120hz truther but this is a budget device and including 120 hz in the price would not be worth it to the people who would buy this phone
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u/FairyEnchantedDildo 19h ago
Man, wtf is wrong with people like you? Why are you like this?
Budget Android phones started going 120hz years ago because going with 60 hz wasn't saving them any money.
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u/Acrobatic-Monitor516 18h ago
Genuinely unbelievable how deep they're defending those corps
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u/chaiscool 17h ago
It was funny how they defended the previous outdated low res screen in macbook air too. Even apple disagreed with them as it eventually got updated.
"No one needs it", then apple update it to proof them wrong.
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u/SleepMaster505 15h ago
I swear half of these posters have to be bots paid by Apple. Not just Apple but any subreddit of any company that sells products.
Like when they give you less for your money, people actually justify that and say how it's a good idea and it's not a problem.
I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.
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u/_ravenclaw 19h ago
Budget Android phones are also underpowered pieces of shit
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u/FairyEnchantedDildo 19h ago
Yes, they are budget for a reason even compared to this.
Why do you want apple to keep 60 hz display on any of their phones or tablets when it isn't saving them much if any money?
60 hz limit is just so people buy their more expensive devices
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u/T-K101 18h ago
People buying this phone couldn’t care less about 120. It’s you the annoying group of people who think this matters at all.
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u/FairyEnchantedDildo 18h ago
I have read this same type of comment about how most people don't want a big screen when Samsung first started going big, then I read how no-pro iPhone buyers don't care about 120 hz till iPhone 17.
Same will be true when a huge chunk of iphone buyers start going the foldable route once RAM and storage prices get lower. This very sub said that foldables don't have any purpose.
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u/edenz03 19h ago
What other compromises do those budget Android phones have to get the 120 hz? Apple are just prioritizing features people that want to buy a 17e ACTUALLY want compared to 120 hz which people think isn't necessary
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u/Dazzling-Voice7180 18h ago edited 15h ago
120hz isn’t some new exotic luxury feature. It costs pennys on the dollar to include these days.
Also the iphone 16 (60hz) and iPhone 17 (120hz) were the same prices on their respective launch days.
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u/Dazzling-Voice7180 18h ago
You can buy vending machine androids with 120hz. Apple gatekeeping 120hz didn’t even make sense 3 years ago, let alone now.
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u/TeamElephant 19h ago
I guess I’m keeping my 5c another year…
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u/bladex1234 14h ago
You should have upgraded when it stopped receiving iOS updates. That phone is a security issue now.
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u/AverageHippo 18h ago
I’m still on the 4S, but the calculator no longer works and sometimes the flashlight randomly activates during the night. It’s also hard to get new cables.
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u/SilentPizzle 19h ago
How have you not upgraded by now lol dude it’s a world of difference just get a 16/17
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u/Motor-Juggernaut9776 19h ago
I wonder if the 18e will have the same design as the iPhone 15
No way they stick with the current design again right? 🫠
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u/PNF2187 18h ago edited 18h ago
The Weibo post in the article mentioned a 6.12" display (same size as the 15 and 16) instead of the 6.06" display that's currently on the 17e, so it sounds like they're going to move to the slightly newer design on the 15/16 with the slightly rounded corners and give it the island.
Most of the tooling for that form factor is already in place seeing as the 16 is still in production, and it's a reasonable next step for the 18e to take, especially if the standard 18 ends up adopting design cues from the 18 Pro (either the smaller island and/or the aluminum unibody).
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u/Motor-Juggernaut9776 18h ago
I hope ur right! that would be huge. Imo the iPhone 15/16 had my fav iphone design bc they felt good in the hand while not having stupidly thin bezels and the dynamic island ofc
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u/Comrade_agent 13h ago
just buy a damn NIB/refurb iphone 17 while saving up another hundred dollars for a few months
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u/schrodinger-the-cat 19h ago edited 13h ago
I seriously don't understand why Apple is gatekeeping higher refresh rates. Lower spec'd machine with higher refresh rate delivers way better user experience for lower BOM. Like, the new ipad mini with A19+120hz display would have sold way more than the current A20 pro+60hz setup.
They really should differentiate their Pro lineups without dragging the normal models to the dogshit level in 2027.
Edit: again the oh the buyers of these won't notice the difference between 60 and 120, oh yeah i guess they will definitely notice differences of A18 and A19's benchmark numbers eh
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u/truthfulie 18h ago
not saying it's a good thing that these still do not have 120hz display (despite e models being budget option, Apple's product lineup is generally more premium afterall) buuuuut it's just that they think (and i tend to agree) that the average target audience simply do not care about the 120hz display. outside of gamers, most people haven't really lived with 120hz display to know to want that on a phone.
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u/rresende 19h ago
Because only reddit cares about that.
And people who are buying this, buy it because its an iPhone and cheaper.
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u/MessiLeagueSoccer 18h ago
And Reddit at large hates anything Apple. This sub obviously being the outlier because of the fans but yeah no one actually cares.
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u/scaledisolated 19h ago edited 19h ago
Because general audience doesn’t give a single flying fuck, mate. All this talk about 60/120hz has never been more detached from reality when it comes to regular folks buying new products. They don’t see the difference, they do not care. And if Apple puts 120hz, they’d be like “cool” and move on with their lives. Simple as that.
People also seem to enjoy their MacBook Neos (a 60hz machine that have been sold millions of units), and they will enjoy their new iPad mini & 18e just as much. 60hz isn’t laggy or a dealbreaker — it works just fine for a lot of people
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u/chaiscool 18h ago
You must also be one of those who advocated for the previous low res outdated macbook air screen too
Macbook neo sold a lot due to previous low price, doubt it will sell the same volume after the price hike.
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u/scaledisolated 17h ago
What I did is that I only explained a potential reasoning behind their decision. I didn’t say whether it’s good or bad, but here you are, painting me as someone that I’m not. Interesting!
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u/chaiscool 17h ago
My point was the same argument was said for the previous macbook air screen too. Turns out even apple disagreed with it.
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u/shinndigg 18h ago
Apple should not be releasing one 60hz product in 2026, yet they keep doing it.Their whole thing is feeling premium and 60hz does not feel premium.
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u/broome9000 18h ago
18e is not a premium phone
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u/yourbestfriendjoshua 18h ago
It's also not a budget phone, starting at $700...
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u/broome9000 18h ago
Yes, but name an android phone around the $700 price range that still gets a flagship chipset and main camera. You can’t have it all.
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u/picastchio 18h ago
$200 phones have 120hz display these days.
Edit: Found a $80 phone from motorola.
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u/EitherCharacter9342 15h ago
You can either buy a used 15 Pro or 16 Pro for way cheaper than the 18e.
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u/rorowhat 17h ago
Apple will forever sell 60Hz as long as folks keep buying them. Time to consider other options.
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u/bladex1234 14h ago
A 24 megapixel front camera makes no sense because that would mean the 18e has a better front camera than the 18 Pro.
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u/Boring_Occasion_3526 12h ago
Keeping 60Hz while bumping everything else feels like Apple drawing a very deliberate line between the budget phone and the rest of the lineup
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u/dumbledayum 12h ago
I just need Dynamic island rest is okay. I am downgrading from 17 Pro to 18e or 18 depending on Dynamic island
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u/Iworshipokkoto 12h ago
Shitty Android phones have had 90 or 120hz displays for years. Cmon, Apple.
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u/d4ybrake 11h ago
Wish they would just drop the manufactured product segmentation and give it 120 hz, the cost difference is near zero in 2026, even Samsung's garbo budget model that's half the price of this has it
It's such a small change but would make it blow every other midrange android phone out of the water
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u/Hydric_acid_yummy 49m ago
Hmm today I will take the iPhone 16e chasis and stick the newest chip in it for two years in a row
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u/iphones2g- 18h ago
I understand the hate about gatekeeping 120hrz. But as someone who has a 120hz phone and 60z phones. I don't notice a difference unless they are side by side. I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't give a flip about 120hz (other then gaming but who's plays FPS on a phone?)
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u/NotFBI42 19h ago
inb4 someone says, "99 percent of all phone users in history don't care about higher refresh rate displays based on numbers I pulled out of my ass"
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u/geminiconfessions 19h ago
while i agree, the numbers are reflected in the sales figures.
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u/NotFBI42 19h ago
We don’t actually know that because Apple doesn’t release sales numbers by specific device.
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u/MidnightPulse69 16h ago
So funny seeing the Reddit hive mind lose it over 60hz when the people buying these phones don’t even know what that means.
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u/Over_Judgment_2813 16h ago
I think if you put them side by side in front of a non techie user they would notice, but for the most part 60hz feels smooth enough for the average Joe.
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u/ynfizz 19h ago edited 18h ago
- Improved front facing camera (24mp or 18mp, unclear)
- A20 chip