A new report claims that the iPhone 18 series will enter test production soon, but also that the Pro models will closely resemble the current design.
There have been many reports of significant updates to the iPhone 18 Pro, though most expect that the differences will be internal. Now a new claim from leaker Fixed Focus Digital includes the caution (in translation) that "the appearance change is not as large as everyone thought."
The leaker also claims that testing is to begin on the whole iPhone 18 range after New Year's Day. He or she further says that there will be tests of mass production.
Next, the leaker says that manufacturing of the new models will "be put into production before the Spring Festival." China's Spring Festival is a movable feast, but 2026's one is due to fall on February 17.
So the leaker's twin claims are that the next iPhone is about to enter manufacturing tests, and that its appearance will closely resemble the current models. Neither of these claims are unlikely, given that the 2025 iPhone 17 range underwent a significant physical redesign.
Plus while dates change depending on the results of Apple's many stages of development, the company follows a specific path. The new iPhones must be ready for full mass production by the summer in order to meet launch demand in September.
Previously the iPhone 17 range, for example, completed its engineering validation testing (EVT) by April 2025. It's possible, then, that the iPhone 18 range is a little ahead of schedule, but there have been no more reports to confirm that.
Leaker Fixed Focus Digital has a mixed to poor track record. He or she was correct about the naming of the iPhone 16e, but later made unsupportable claims that this lower-cost model has completely failed due to poor sales.
Fixed Focus Digital also erroneously insisted that while the iPhone 17 range would get a 120Hz display, it would not get ProMotion.
