iPhone 18 vs iPhone 17: Apple announced the iPhone 17 at its September launch event last year. While the company has already unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro series in India last month, the iPhone 17’s successor was missing from the lineup, breaking the usual trend. According to leaks and rumours, the company is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 next year in spring. Before the launch, the rumour mill continues to churn out details about the smartphone months ahead of its launch.
The existing vanilla iPhone underwent a price hike soon after the launch of the 18 Pro series. The handset now starts from Rs 99,900. However, it can be purchased even lower than its launch price currently (under Rs 82,000 in the ongoing Flipkart Big Billion Days sale and around Rs 77,000 after offers during the ongoing Reliance Digital sale).
Also Read: Apple iPhone 18 leaks: Price in India, launch timeline, specs and other details we know
But if you plan to buy the iPhone 17 right now, your mind must have clicked at least once to enquire what the iPhone 18 could pack and how much it could cost. To help you make sense of these two queries, here are the details.
Display: Like the iPhone 17, Apple is expected to use a similar 6.3-inch screen. However, reports claim Apple may use a downgraded panel on the iPhone 18, and it may share parts with the upcoming (cheaper) iPhone 18e. While brightness levels remain a question, it is said to have a smaller Dynamic Island than the existing model.
Processor: Compared to the iPhone 17’s 3nm A19, the iPhone 18 is tipped to run on an upgraded A20 chip based on a 2nm fabrication process. This could translate into improved performance and efficiency. However, it might have one less GPU core than the 17.
RAM: iPhone 18 could get 9GB or 12GB RAM, unlike the 17’s 8GB. More RAM could imply a larger suite of on-device Apple Intelligence Siri AI features will likely be supported by the upcoming iPhone, MacRumors reported.
Selfie camera: The iPhone 18 could offer an upgraded 24MP Centre Stage selfie lens, compared to the iPhone 17’s 18MP shooter. More megapixels could mean better details in photos.
Also Read: Apple October 13 event: India timings, how to watch it live and what to expect
Modem and Camera Control: The side-mounted Camera Control button may lose its touch sensitivity and rely on pressure-based interactions on the iPhone 18. Plus, it is tipped to ship with Apple’s C2 modem for cellular networking, unlike the Snapdragon unit on the iPhone 17.
With RAM and storage being the main culprits of the unprecedented price hikes and considering Apple’s track record with the 18 Pro models, we expect the base iPhone 18 to start at over Rs 1 lakh in India, likely in the 1.1-1.2 lakh range. The phone may debut alongside the iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e. We can expect the launch to materialise in March or April next year.