Apple looks set to once again give the cheapest iPhone a disappointing display
Apple’s most affordable iPhone may once again miss out on one of the upgrades users have been asking for the most.
According to reliable leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is expected to stick with a 60Hz display on the iPhone 18e. This is despite the handset reportedly not arriving until 2027.
If accurate, it means Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone will continue to lag behind much of the Android market. Indeed, even the best cheap phones have offered 120Hz OLED screens for several years.
That decision could make the iPhone 18e a tougher sell, especially considering the current iPhone 17e already starts at $599. And that’s before any sort of price rises, which could be on the way.
The leak suggests the iPhone 18e will once again feature a 6.1-inch LTPS OLED display with a 1.5K resolution, but without Apple’s smoother ProMotion technology. By comparison, the standard iPhone 18 is tipped to receive a larger 6.3-inch 1.5K LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the rumoured iPhone Air 2 will pair a 6.55-inch LTPO display with the same 120Hz refresh rate.
Apple’s LTPO panels found on ProMotion-equipped devices can dynamically scale refresh rates to improve both smoothness and battery life. While many cheaper Android phones rely on less advanced LTPS panels despite offering 120Hz, even so, the lack of a high-refresh display is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore as the rest of the smartphone market moves on.
The report also lines up with previous rumours suggesting ProMotion won’t reach Apple’s budget iPhone lineup until the iPhone 19e. This model would likely launch in 2028.
Beyond the entry-level model, Digital Chat Station claims development is progressing as planned for several future devices. This includes the iPhone Ultra 2 and what could eventually become the iPhone 20 Pro. Both are reportedly targeting a late 2027 launch.
As always with early supply chain leaks, nothing is official until Apple announces it. But if this report proves accurate, buyers looking for Apple’s cheapest iPhone may have to wait at least another generation.
