Gulf News: Apple has not even officially unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro yet, and the rumour mill is already behaving as if it has been handed a prototype, a press release and possibly Tim Cook’s diary.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to arrive in less than two months, alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone. The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are reportedly set to follow in spring 2027 as Apple moves towards a split launch schedule.

Until then, the leaks keep coming.

Some suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a major battery boost. Others claim the Dynamic Island may finally shrink, while variable camera apertures, new cherry-red finishes, a foldable iPhone costing more than $2,000 and even a possible iPhone Ultra are all part of the rumour mix.

So, rather than treat every claim as confirmed fact, we’re sorting through the iPhone 18 rumours.

Here are the latest roundup of rumours, based on MacRumor reports, and what's most likely.

The iPhone 18 Pro could get a dramatic new colour
Apple may be ready to move beyond the usual parade of black, white, silver and “technically blue but mostly grey”.

The iPhone 18 Pro range is widely expected to include a Dark Cherry finish, alongside Light Blue, Silver and Dark Gray options. Dummy models reportedly showing these colours have added weight to the claims.

In other words, the next Pro iPhone could finally bring a little personality to the back of your phone.

The camera may finally learn to control the light
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to feature a variable aperture on their 48-megapixel Main cameras.

Unlike a fixed aperture, a variable aperture can adjust how much light reaches the sensor. That could mean more flexibility in bright conditions, better control over exposure and potentially more control over depth of field.

The rumour mill claims the modified system has already entered production. If true, Apple may be giving the iPhone camera one more thing to obsess over.

More RAM is reportedly coming
The rumours cannot quite agree on whether the standard iPhone 18 will get 9GB or 12GB of RAM.

But they do agree on one thing: It could be more than the iPhone 17's 8GB.

The extra memory is reportedly linked to Apple's increasingly ambitious on-device Apple Intelligence features expected with iOS 27.

The Pro Max could become even more of a brick
Leaked battery figures suggest Apple may be preparing larger batteries for its premium models.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max could reportedly reach around 5,567mAh in some markets outside China. Another leak has suggested a capacity of up to 5,200mAh, compared with the reported 5,088mAh battery in the previous generation.

The bigger battery could come with a slightly bigger phone, too. One report claims the device may be around 0.25mm thicker and 7 grams heavier.

Furthermore, a more efficient 2nm A20 Pro chip and LTPO+ display technology could help translate that extra bulk into better real-world battery life.

But the iPhone 18 lineup is only part of Apple's rumoured 2026 hardware story. Alongside the new phones, Apple is also expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone, a device that could end up being the biggest wildcard in the entire lineup.

Some reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max could get a major battery boost. Others claim the Dynamic Island may finally shrink, while variable camera apertures, new cherry-red finishes and even a possible iPhone Ultra are all part of the rumour mix.

The Dynamic Island could shrink
This is one of the more persistent design rumours.

Alleged prototypes, screen protectors and CAD images have reportedly shown an iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island that is around 35% narrower than the current version.

The catch: Other reports suggest Apple may have considered multiple designs or delayed the change because of the challenges involved in shrinking the Face ID components.

So, for now, the Dynamic Island remains on a strict “we'll see” diet.

The camera bump could get even bumpier
The iPhone 18 Pro Max's camera plateau could reportedly grow from around 11.23mm to 11.54mm.

The smaller iPhone 18 Pro may also get a thicker camera housing, although no precise measurement has emerged.

At this rate, the camera bump may soon need its own postcode.

But the iPhone 18 lineup is only part of Apple's rumoured 2026 hardware story. Alongside the new phones, Apple is also expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone — a device that could end up being the biggest wildcard in the entire lineup.

The other rumours that could go either way
The iPhone Air 2 may finally get a second camera
The first-generation iPhone Air arrived with a single Main camera. Its successor could reportedly add an Ultra Wide lens.

The overall design is expected to remain largely unchanged, but the second camera would at least give the Air a little more photographic versatility.

One leak, according to MacRumors has also claimed that the iPhone Air 2 could get a 3,500mAh battery, around 11% more than the current model. The more efficient 2nm A20 chip could help squeeze even more life out of it.

Apple may finally go deeper into its own modem technology
Then there is the wildcard: Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The foldable iPhone and at least some international versions of the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to use Apple's second-generation C2 modem.

The modem could support 5G satellite connectivity. However, if it does not support mmWave, Apple may continue using Qualcomm technology for the US market.

The device is consistently rumoured to have a book-style design, with an approximately 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen. The 4:3 aspect ratio could make the unfolded device resemble a small iPad.

That is either a very useful visual explanation or a terrifying way to describe a phone that could cost more than $2,000.

The foldable may be nearly crease-free
Apple is reportedly working to make the foldable's inner screen crease extremely difficult to see, with one claim putting the crease depth at less than 0.15mm.

But “completely crease-free” may be too ambitious.

The more realistic expectation? A foldable with a crease so subtle you will only notice it after spending 20 minutes looking for it.

Is the SIM tray really going away?
The foldable iPhone is widely expected to be eSIM-only, but that does not necessarily mean the physical SIM tray is about to vanish from the entire iPhone 18 family.

Reports continue to point to physical-SIM versions of the iPhone 18 Pro in markets including China and Hong Kong.

So, while Apple's foldable may be ready to say goodbye to the SIM tray, the rest of the lineup does not appear to be rushing to the exit just yet.