Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 lineup has reportedly entered the early prototyping stage, offering a preliminary look at how Apple may refine its display design across future models. The information, shared by Digital Chat Station, suggests changes that focus on on-screen layout and differentiation rather than a complete visual overhaul.

iPhone 18 series display details emerge

According to DCS, all iPhone 18 models are currently being sampled internally. The standard iPhone 18 is said to feature a 6.27-inch LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and the existing Dynamic Island design. Alongside it, the iPhone Air 2 is tipped to arrive with a 6.55-inch LTPO 120Hz screen, continuing Apple’s push towards a thinner and lighter form factor while retaining a familiar front layout.

The biggest display shift is expected on the Pro models. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are reportedly testing 6.27-inch and 6.86-inch LTPO 120Hz panels respectively.

These screens are said to move part of the Face ID system beneath the display, leaving only a small punch-hole for the front camera. As a result, the Dynamic Island area is expected to shrink for the first time since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro series.

According to reports, Apple may change its traditional launch rhythm. Instead of unveiling the entire lineup together in autumn, the company could introduce its high-end models first. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and a foldable iPhone are expected to arrive in late 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 and a possible iPhone 18e may follow in spring 2027. There’s no specific launch timeframe for the iPhone Air 2.

On the hardware front, the Pro models are tipped to debut the A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process. Camera upgrades, including a variable aperture system and improved image sensors, are also being tested. Together, these developments suggest Apple is preparing a more distinct split between standard and Pro iPhones in the iPhone 18 generation.

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Just a few months after Apple spotlighted the strikingly slim iPhone Air — and the designer who helped bring it to life — that designer has quietly left the company. Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer featured prominently in Apple’s launch video, has moved on from Apple entirely, sparking a wave of speculation about what happened behind the scenes. The reality is far less dramatic, but it says a lot about where top tech talent is heading these days.

Chowdhury spent six years on Apple’s industrial design team and became one of the more public faces of the iPhone Air’s debut earlier this year. But shortly after the phone actually shipped to customers, he left Apple to join an AI startup. For Apple, the alleged “iPhone Air 2” is already under development and is reportedly set for a 2027 debut.

On the surface, the timing looks odd. There have been reports that the iPhone Air, while not a flop, hasn’t hit the kind of numbers Apple usually expects from a new form-factor iPhone. So did the lead designer bail because the phone underperformed? According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, definitely not. He reports that Chowdhury’s departure wasn’t tied to sales at all, and that the designer’s work on the Air is well regarded internally — enough that Apple is already pushing ahead with a second-generation version.

Instead, his exit fits into a broader pattern: top designers and engineers are increasingly being pulled toward artificial intelligence. Chowdhury’s departure adds to a steady stream of exits that began after Jony Ive left in 2019, a shift that effectively reset Apple’s once-stable industrial design group. Many veterans have retired or followed Ive, leaving Apple with a team that looks very different from the one that shaped the iPhone, iPad, and Watch over the last decade.

For Chowdhury, the move seems less like a reaction to the iPhone Air and more like a reflection of the moment: AI startups are pulling in experienced hardware designers who want a fresh challenge. And for Apple, it’s another reminder that the next generation of its product designs will largely come from a new set of faces.

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Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone Air 2 in spring 2027, according to a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The device will continue the company’s ultra-thin smartphone project and is expected to feature Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, which should improve battery life and overall efficiency.

Apple uses the Air lineup to refine components for its upcoming foldable iPhone

Earlier this week, reports conflicted over the status of the iPhone Air 2. The Information initially claimed that Apple had delayed the phone indefinitely due to underwhelming sales of the first-generation model. However, a separate report later clarified that Apple had only postponed the launch by six months, shifting its release window from fall 2026 to spring 2027.

Gurman’s latest report confirms the delay but emphasizes that Apple never intended the iPhone Air line to follow the company’s usual annual iPhone update cycle. Apple chose not to name the current model “iPhone 17 Air” in order to distinguish it from the Pro and standard variants.

The iPhone Air 2 is not expected to receive a major visual redesign. Apple is focusing on incremental upgrades, with the primary improvement centered on battery life. The more efficient 2nm chip is expected to drive that gain. Apple is also considering adding a second rear camera for ultrawide shots.

Apple had originally projected the Air to account for roughly 6 to 8% of new iPhone sales, similar to what the iPhone 16 Plus achieved. It received prominent placement during the September keynote, but marketing has since tapered off. Much like the iPhone mini, the Air appealed to a narrow segment and didn’t turn that interest into significant sales. Even with a price set $100 below the iPhone 17 Pro, it lags in battery endurance, thermal performance, and camera capability.

Internally, Apple is using the iPhone Air lineup to test components and design choices that could support its future foldable iPhone. The Air shares many structural and material similarities with Apple’s ongoing foldable prototype, and serves as a testbed for supply chain and engineering processes.

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