iPhone 18e leak claims A20 chip and possible 24MP front camera upgrade

Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 18e in early 2027 alongside the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2, according to a new leak. Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims the affordable model will focus on performance and camera upgrades while retaining most of the iPhone 17e hardware.

The iPhone 18e will use Apple's upcoming A20 chip, which is expected to use TSMC's 2nm manufacturing technology. The phone will keep a 6.12-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and a single 48MP rear camera, meaning Apple appears unlikely to make major changes to the rear camera system.

Digital Chat Station says Apple is considering a 24MP front camera for the iPhone 18e, which would represent one of the biggest hardware changes over its predecessor. However, the exact sensor remains uncertain, especially since Apple's newer iPhone models already use an 18MP front camera. Apple could instead bring that newer camera system to the iPhone 18e while keeping the overall design familiar.

The leak does not clarify whether Apple will replace the notch with Dynamic Island. Apple appears to be limiting major hardware changes as it works to keep the iPhone 18e positioned as its lower-cost iPhone option despite rising memory, storage and chip costs.