Last year with the iPhone X, Apple managed to set a new benchmark in terms of smartphone design, build quality, and performance. While Apple might have reimagined the smartphone with the iPhone X last year, the handset seemingly failed to do as well as many analysts had hoped for primarily due to its steep $999 price tag.
This year, Apple is taking a smarter approach with its 2018 iPhone XS lineup which will comprise of not one or two but three different iPhones variants.
As of now, there are less than two months to go for Apple to unveil its 2018 iPhone lineup. So, before the rumor mill regarding Apple’s 2018 iPhones starts churning out stories in full force, let’s have a look at what the rumors so far have to say about the devices.
2018 iPhones Rumor Roundup
Firstly, the rumor mill points to Apple launching three new iPhones this year. While the company did launch three new iPhones last year as well, the 2018 iPhone lineup is going to be vastly different. Apart from the 5.8-inch iPhone X successor, the company is also expected to launch a 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus and a cheaper 6.1-inch variant featuring an LCD display. This lineup makes a lot of sense since the iPhone X’s 5.8-inch display was considered to be small by many and a cheaper iPhone will always help Apple do well in price sensitive markets.
All three handsets will feature largely the same design. This means we are looking at a notched display up front, with glass panels at the front and rear. The more expensive 2018 iPhone X and iPhone X Plus will make use of a stainless steel chassis and an expensive OLED display so as to offer a more refined experience. They will also offer a better camera, battery life, more RAM, and storage which is what many people look for and are ready to shell out extra for.
All three handsets will feature a TrueDepth camera system hidden inside the notch at the front which also means that they all will come with Face ID. The Lighting connector also remains intact at the bottom along with fast charging support. Apple is even going to bundle an 18W USB-C charger with the 2018 iPhones to ensure a superior and a faster charging experience right out of the box.
The 6.1-inch LCD iPhone is obviously going to be the cheapest of the lot with a rumored price tag of anywhere between $600-700. The 5.8-inch iPhone X will start from $800 and up, while the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will start at around $999.
2018 iPhones Features
- Face ID
- No headphone jack
- Improved Camera
- Water-resistant
- Notched LCD display on the cheapest variant, OLED on the other two
- New colors
2018 iPhone XS
The 2018 iPhone X is going to be the successor to the existing iPhone X. While its final name is unclear, it is likely that we will see Apple simply refer to it as the 2018 iPhone X. The handset will continue to feature a 5.8-inch notched OLED display. Its design is also going to remain the same as its predecessor, with Apple at the very best making a few tweaks here and there.
Despite Face ID not being as reliable as Touch ID, the 2018 iPhone X is going to solely rely on the former for biometric authentication. This means that we will not see Apple include an in-display fingerprint scanner or any other form of Touch ID authentication on the handset. However, it will be tweaked for faster unlock times, landscape orientation support, and improved accuracy.
Apple is also expected to switch to a single battery cell design for the 2018 iPhone X to maximize the battery size. This will help the company increase the battery capacity by 10-15 percent which should allow the handset to offer better battery life. Other specs of the 2018 iPhone X include 4GB RAM, an improved dual-camera setup at the rear, and up to 256GB of storage.
In a nutshell, the 2018 iPhone X is going to be an ‘s’ upgrade over the original iPhone X with key improvements in performance, speed, battery life, and camera. And what’s even better is that Apple will be reportedly pricing the 2018 iPhone X lower than its predecessor by $100.
2018 iPhone XS Features:
- Same design as existing iPhone X
- Improved Face ID with faster unlock times
- Faster internals with more RAM
- Improved dual-camera setup
- Improved battery life
- Fast charging
- Estimated price ~$899
2018 iPhone XS Plus
The iPhone X Plus is going to a new addition to Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup. The handset will replace the iPhone 8 Plus and while it will feature a significantly bigger 6.5-inch OLED display, it is not going to be bigger than any of the previous Plus handsets launched by Apple. This is because of the bezel-less design and the notched display which will help keep its size in check.
Apart from a bigger 6.5-inch notched OLED display, the iPhone X Plus is expected to be similar to the 2018 iPhone X. The only other difference between the two handsets is going to be in terms of battery life. The iPhone X Plus will come with a bigger battery and despite the bigger display, it is expected to offer better battery life than the regular iPhone X.
2018 iPhone XS Plus Features:
- Same design as iPhone X
- Bigger display
- Face ID
- Faster internals with more RAM (4GB)
- Improved dual-camera setup
- Will offer better battery life over iPhone X
- Fast charging
- Estimated price ~$999
6.1-inch LCD iPhone
This is going to be the most interesting addition to Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup. The 6.1-inch LCD iPhone is going to replace the regular 4.7-inch iPhone in Apple’s lineup. Despite the massive difference in display size, the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone is expected to be as compact as a 4.7-inch iPhone thanks to its bezel-less design. However, the use of an LCD display means that it will have slightly larger bezels at the edges which might not make the phone look as appealing as the iPhone X or the iPhone X Plus.
While the handset will sport the same design as the 2018 iPhone X right down to a notched display, it will make a few compromises here and there to achieve its lower price point. Apart from coming with slightly lower RAM (3GB), the LCD iPhone will also come with a single camera setup at its rear. Apple will reportedly also use an aluminum frame on the device instead of a stainless steel chassis like on the other two iPhone variants to keep its price in check.
Apple is primarily targeting the Asian market with the LCD iPhone where budget phones tend to do better. It will reportedly also only offer the LCD iPhone with dual-SIM functionality in China and other Asian markets to better cater to the needs of the customers in these markets. The company will also be launching the handset in a multitude of colors to attract young customers.
LCD iPhone Features:
- Same design as iPhone X with a few compromises
- Slightly inferior build quality and thicker surrounding bezels
- Face ID
- 3GB RAM
- Single camera at the rear
- Dual-SIM functionality in limited markets
- Estimated price ~$600-700
The LCD iPhone will help Apple in capturing the market in India, China, and other Asian markets where its current iPhone offerings are taking a beating from various Chinese OEMs due to the extreme value for money they offer.
What do you think about Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup? Which iPhone are you looking forward to the most? The LCD variant or the iPhone X Plus?
