Apple's standard iPhone 18 gets a wide camera bar in new leak, but buyers must wait until spring

Apple skipped the standard iPhone 18 in September, and now the first leaks of the phone are surfacing. A dummy unit shows a very different back, and a Weibo tipster says production starts soon. The catch is that you probably won't be able to buy one until spring 2027.

Mac Observer reports that a leaker known as MajinBu shared a dummy unit in dark burgundy. The two main cameras sit in the top left corner as before, but the camera housing now stretches across the whole top of the phone. The plate below also exposes the MagSafe magnets, which gives the back a segmented look.

Chinese social media was quick to call the design ugly. Posts on Weibo also claim a LiDAR sensor and a pink color, but I couldn't confirm either detail. LiDAR has long been a Pro-only feature, so it would be a real upgrade if true.

Dummy units are built from supply chain drawings. They help case makers, and they are usually close to the real thing, but not always. Every iPhone gets called ugly before it launches. The iPhone 17 Pro camera block was compared to a power bank and a shaving head, and now it looks normal. I wouldn't judge this one from a dummy.

Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Duo in September, and the standard model has been waiting ever since. Weibo tipster Fixed Focus Digital says production could start in late November. He expects a launch in March 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e. He also describes the production volume as quite large, though he said days earlier that stock would be trimmed. Apple hasn't commented.

Earlier leaks point to a 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED screen, the A20 chip and 9GB of RAM. Leakers also mention a 48MP dual rear camera and a 24MP selfie camera. Esquire India expects a price increase, but no real price leak exists yet. Treat all of it as rumor, because plans can still change before the spring.

What bothers me more than the design is the wait. Apple is clearly selling the pricey Pro models and the Duo first, and the standard iPhone arrives six months later. For many people, the plain iPhone is the one they actually buy. If you were waiting for it, spring 2027 is a long time, and the iPhone 17 or a Pro model may be the smarter buy.