Apple is expected to split the next generation of iPhones into two distinct phases. The iPhone 18 Pro , iPhone 18 Pro Max , and the brand's first foldable phone, rumored to be the iPhone Ultra , are expected in September. The second part of the lineup, consisting of the iPhone 18 , iPhone 18e , and iPhone Air 2 , is expected to arrive in spring 2027, likely in April.

A new rumor spread by Digital Chat Station on Weibo now provides some details about the displays of the three models expected in the first half of 2027. The information concerns dimensions, panel technology, resolution, and refresh rate.

iPhone 18: Same Form Factor, But 120Hz LTPO Panel

According to the new rumor, iPhone 18 will retain a 6.3-inch display , the same diagonal attributed to the iPhone 17. The panel should be an LTPO OLED with “ 1.5K ” resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate .

The choice to keep the size unchanged suggests a line of continuity for the standard model, which could focus more on internal updates, efficiency and cameras than on a visible change in format.

iPhone 18e still stuck at 60Hz

The most interesting part concerns the iPhone 18e , which according to the rumor will use a 6.12-inch LTPS OLED display , still with “1.5K” resolution, but with a refresh rate stuck at 60Hz .

Compared to the iPhone 17e, the diagonal would grow by just 0.02 inches , an almost imperceptible change in real-world use. More significant, however, is the confirmation of the 60Hz panel: those hoping for the “e” series to switch to 120Hz will probably have to wait a little longer.

Apple would therefore seem to intend to maintain a clear separation between the most accessible model and the higher versions, using the refresh rate as one of the elements of differentiation of the range.

iPhone Air 2 with larger display

The iPhone Air 2 is instead said to feature a 6.55-inch LTPO OLED display , with “1.5K” resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate . Even in this case, the increase compared to the first iPhone Air would be minimal, equal to 0.05 inches .

The Air model would therefore remain on an intermediate diagonal, larger than the iPhone 18 but not as extreme as the Max models. The presence of the 120Hz LTPO panel would confirm a higher positioning than the “e” series, consistent with the idea of ​​a thin, premium and more design-oriented iPhone.

Apple is preparing an increasingly segmented range

The emerging picture is of an increasingly diverse iPhone lineup. On one side, the Pro models and the foldable Ultra, expected in September, and on the other, the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 the following spring.

The difference between the models won't just be in the chips, cameras, and materials, but also in the display. LTPO and 120Hz will remain reserved for the more advanced models, while the "e" series will continue to represent the most accessible entry into the catalog, with an LTPS panel and a 60Hz refresh rate.

If the rumor is confirmed, the iPhone 18e still won't be the model destined to democratize high refresh rates at the lower end of Apple's lineup. This is a conservative choice, but it's consistent with the segmentation strategy the company is building around the iPhone family.