iPhone 18e Could Get Same 4,430mAh Battery as iPhone 18 as Apple Reportedly Eyes Shorter 2:1 iPhone Design

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple's next lower-cost iPhone may share its battery and much of its internal design with the standard iPhone 18, according to new leaks. A separate rumor suggests Apple is considering a shorter iPhone with a different screen shape for a few years from now.

Apple has not announced either phone and does not comment on rumors. Both the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are expected in spring 2027.

Weibo tipster Fixed Focus Digital shared what appears to be an internal comparison diagram of the two devices. It labels the iPhone 18 with the codename "Taycan" and the iPhone 18e as "Nevera." Both are listed with a maximum battery capacity of 4,430 milliampere-hours.

That would be a large jump for both phones. The iPhone 17 has a battery of about 3,692mAh, so the iPhone 18 would gain about 20%. The iPhone 17e is rated at 4,005mAh, so the 18e would gain about 10%.

The diagram lists the iPhone 18 with capacities ranging from 3,671mAh to 4,430mAh and the iPhone 18e from 4,005mAh to 4,430mAh. The ranges may reflect different regional versions or prototype configurations.

Separate X-ray-style images reposted by leaker Littertree66 appear to support the claim. The scans, said to show prototype hardware, show matching logic boards, the same battery footprint and identical MagSafe charging coils in both phones.

Notes on the images say Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from the iPhone 18 and redesigned the bottom speaker and haptic motor to make room for the larger battery. They also claim both phones will use metal-encased batteries and include the Dynamic Island screen cutout.

Despite the similar internals, the two models are still expected to differ. The iPhone 18 is expected to have two rear cameras, while the 18e appears to keep a single camera, with plastic filler in the space used by the second lens. The leaker also speculated that Apple could leave the U2 ultra-wideband chip out of the cheaper model.

Reports say both phones may have 6.3-inch OLED displays, which would mean a larger screen for the 18e than an earlier prediction of 6.12 inches. The iPhone 18 is expected to get a 120Hz LTPO panel, while the 18e would stay at 60Hz. Both may use versions of Apple's A20 chip, built on TSMC's 2-nanometer process.

If accurate, the leaks would narrow the gap between Apple's standard and budget phones. Battery life is one area where a cheaper model could match its more expensive sibling in daily use.

Separately, a leaker known as Instant Digital said Apple is considering a new iPhone shape that could arrive in "a few years."

According to the claim, the phone would be about as wide as the iPhone 18 Pro but shorter, with an 18:9, or 2:1, display aspect ratio instead of the current 19.5:9. The change is meant to make the phone easier to use with one hand without shrinking the overall screen as much as a mini model would.

The tipster said Apple is considering merging the status bar with the top navigation bar used in many apps, so the shorter screen would lose little usable space. The design could also shrink the Dynamic Island to a small circular cutout or hide the front camera beneath the display, depending on how under-display camera technology develops.

The tipster said the plans are at a very early stage and could change. No such model is expected next year.

Apple has not sold a truly compact iPhone since it discontinued the iPhone 13 mini, and small phones have become rare across the industry. Some rival manufacturers have experimented with shorter, wider designs, including Huawei's Pura X View.

Apple's product plans often change before launch, and leaked specifications from prototypes do not always match final hardware. For now, the 4,430mAh figure and the shorter iPhone remain unconfirmed.