Leaker Fixed Focus Digital says Apple will trim the upcoming iPhone 18 to keep its price flat. The source claims the standard model will share more components with the budget‑focused 18e, citing a “step backward” in the manufacturing process and a downgrade of display specs that could sacrifice ProMotion‑level brightness. No price hike is expected.

Compared with the iPhone 17’s 6.3‑inch panel, 120 Hz ProMotion and up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, the revised 18 may lose those upgrades. On the silicon side, Fixed Focus Digital predicts a shift from the five‑core GPU found in the current A19 chip to a four‑core variant, effectively aligning the chipset with the 17e’s performance tier.

Apple plans to run Engineering Validation Testing for both the 18 and the 18e in June, suggesting production lines. By aligning the flagship’s specs with its lower‑cost sibling, the company hopes to preserve margins without raising the retail tag. The move underscores a broader cost‑control push as Apple staggers its fall Pro launch and a spring rollout of the 18, 18e and iPhone Air 2 through 2027.