iPhone 18e: Apple Recirculates the 60 Hz Display Due to Rising Component Costs

Apple is facing the constant rise in memory costs, a factor that could soon translate into a price increase for iPhones (so far spared from the wave of increases announced last week). This economic pressure will particularly affect the iPhone 18e, the next entry-level model in the lineup, which will be forced to forego some key technical upgrades to keep the price competitive.

The Usual Display for iPhone 18e

According to the latest rumors, the upcoming iPhone 18e will not integrate ProMotion technology. The smartphone will have to settle for a traditional LTPS panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate, the same one already seen on the iPhone 17e. By recycling the same display, Apple will avoid an increase in production costs, but users will have to give up on 120 Hz, Always-on Display technology, and the energy efficiency of LTPO panels (which, for the 'e' series, will not arrive before 2028).

The main innovations will be concentrated beneath the surface. The iPhone 18e will receive the new A20 SoC, but there will be no increases in memory due to the aforementioned market price increases: the base model will continue to offer 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

The debut of the iPhone 18e is expected in the early months of 2027, coinciding with the launch of the standard iPhone 18. The ball will first pass to the premium models: in September (2026), it will indeed be the turn of the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the brand new iPhone Ultra.