Behind the closed doors at Cupertino, Apple’s sales and marketing divisions are apparently planning a major overhaul of the iPhone launch timeline. Up until this year, Apple clubbed almost all of its annual iPhone releases in a single launch event, usually scheduled in September of every year, with the only exception being the iPhone SE/iPhone 16e launch reserved for March of every alternate year. Starting next year, there’s going to be a shake-up in the iPhone launch timeline.
Instead of the company’s traditional September launch, the iPhone launches will now be split into a new, two-phase cycle. The impact of this change, according to multiple supply chain sources and the highly-regarded analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, is that the standard iPhone 18 model is not expected to debut next year as usual. Instead, Apple will now plan a release for the iPhone 18 in the spring months of 2027.
iPhone 18 launch not happening in 2026
That said, there will be iPhone 18 variants coming out in September 2026 – only the vanilla iPhone 18 won’t be around.
Post the rumoured launch of the iPhone 17e in March 2026, the first phase of the next-gen iPhone rollout is slated for September 2026, focusing exclusively on the high-end market. This initial September release is expected to include only the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside the iPhone Air 2. The fourth slot, which is usually reserved for the standard model, is now said to be reserved solely for the iPhone Fold – Apple’s first attempt at a commercially available foldable iPhone.
With an all-premium lineup, Apple expects the festive season to garner more sales for the expensive iPhones, hoping to drive up the profits inflow.
Once the hype starts to slow down – which is usually by March of the following year – Apple will have the iPhone 18 ready to take the centerstage alongside the rumoured iPhone 18e. The clubbing of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e is expected to club both these value-centric and more accessible models in a league of their own.
Would you wait over 1.5 years for the next iPhone 18?
Apple introduced several quality upgrades to the standard iPhone 17 this year, making it a more tempting deal for those seeking value. Hence, it is expected that the iPhone 18 will bring more advancements to the world, including a faster 2nm chipset and better cameras. Such a value-rich proposition could deprive the rumoured iPhone Fold of attention.
