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iPhone 18 Could Fall Behind iPhone 17 With Older Display Material, Widening Gap With Pro Models: Report

iPhone 18 Could Fall Behind iPhone 17 With Older Display Material, Widening Gap With Pro Models: Report

Here's how increasing memory prices might impact the iPhone 18, which is expected to launch next year alongside the more affordable iPhone 18e.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 23 April 2026 15:36 IST

iPhone 18 Could Fall Behind iPhone 17 With Older Display Material, Widening Gap With Pro Models: Report

iPhone 17 is the first standard model from Apple to feature ProMotion display

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Highlights

iPhone 18 might ship with display tech two generations behind
M12+ is said to be the leading material candidate for the OLED screen
Apple’s entire iPhone 17 lineup features M14 material panels

Apple's iPhone 18 isn't expected to launch until early next year, but leaks about the phone have already suggested it might not come with major upgrades over the iPhone 17. According to a new supply chain report, the divide between the standard iPhone and iPhone Pro models could get even wider this year compared to previous generations, especially in terms of display features. The iPhone 18 will reportedly use an older OLED panel manufactured by Samsung's display division, while the Pro models could adopt the latest in display technology.

iPhone 18 Said to Feature M12+ Panel to Keep Costs in Check

As per supply chain information shared by tech blog Schrödinger Intel, Apple is expected to use Samsung Display's latest M16 OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a rumoured foldable iPhone. However, the standard iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e variant could miss out on this upgrade.

IPhone 18 Discussion

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Instead, the Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly considering older display materials, including M14 and a customised M12+ panel. Among the two, M12+ is said to be the leading candidate.

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As described in the report, the M12+ panel is a refined version of the M12 architecture, offering slight improvements in brightness and efficiency. However, it still falls behind newer generations such as M13, M14, and M16 in overall performance.

If the leak proves accurate, the base iPhone 18 models could ship with display technology that is several generations older than the one used in the Pro variants. The M12 architecture was previously used in models like the iPhone 14 Pro. Meanwhile, Apple's entire iPhone 17 lineup features M14 material panels. This potentially means that the purported iPhone 18 will not only be behind the iPhone 18 Pro models in terms of the OLED panel material, but also the current iPhone 17.

Previous leaks also suggested that the vanilla iPhone 18 might come with various downgrades, including but not limited to manufacturing process, chipset specifications, and RAM. It is believed to be an effort by Apple to reduce input costs — a move that could potentially bring the iPhone 18 closer to the iPhone 18e.

The iPhone 18, notably, is not expected to witness a price increase and may launch around the same MOP as the iPhone 17, despite the rising cost of memory components. For context, the iPhone 17 was launched in India in September 2025 at a starting price of Rs. 82,900 for the base 256GB configuration.

iPhone 17

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Transformative and brighter ProMotion display
Powerful performance
Meaningful camera upgrades
More value-for-money
Great battery life

Bad
iOS 26 has glitches
Ineffective anti-reflective coating

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Display, iPhone 18 Features, iPhone 18 Specifications, iPhone 17, Apple

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More