iPhone 2018 release date, specs rumors: Apple to introduce major design change; Upcoming flagship phones to pack more powerful battery

Launch event of Apple's latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone X, with the tech giant's CEO Tim CookReuters/ Stephen Lam

Just a few weeks after the iPhone X launch, reports are coming in regarding Apple's next flagship handsets. It is rumored that the Cupertino-based tech giant will not only launch two but three new iPhone models in 2018. Interestingly, one of these smartphone units will boast a radical design change.

It is expected that one of the iPhone 2018 models will feature a big design bump by sporting a 6.1-inch liquid-crystal display (LCD). This particular iPhone will also include a metal back panel. The information came from Nikkei, which claims to have a reliable insider source knowing about Apple's future plans. 

Furthermore, Nikkei's source revealed that Apple is set to launch two other iPhone units in 2018, sporting 5.8-inch and 6.3-inch screens, respectively. These two iPhones arriving next year will use the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, which is only available in the iPhone X among all of Apple's current handsets. This is great news among the iPhone followers as the OLED technology offers sharper colors and better graphics resolution than LCD panel.

The cheapest iPhone 2018 model will be the one with the full metal build, while the other one is expected to feature updated iPhone X features. While this model will have the same design as the 2017 flagship, it is not expected to be the top-end handset of the year. Instead, the 6.3-inch iPhone model will be the highlight of Apple's smartphone event in 2018. It will share the same design as the iPhone X, but its screen will cover the entire front display, and the back portion will be made of glass. 

In other news, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has a fresh scoop on the 2018 iPhone. According to his latest note to the investors, the new iPhones will boast an increase in battery power compared to this year's devices. Specifically, Apple is expected to introduce the L-shaped battery design to the 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch iPhone 2018 models, increasing the handsets' battery life. 

As of now, the L-shaped battery design is already included in the iPhone X, but Kuo believes that further improvements will be applied to the iPhone 2018 batteries. It is possible that the new L-shaped battery will increase in size. As for the 5.8-inch iPhone, Kuo said that it will still boast more battery power than the iPhone X, with its capacity ranging from 2,900mAh to 3,000mAh. To note, the iPhone X is packed with 2,716mAh battery.