Second report: No iPhone 18 in 2026
According to the South Korean portal ETNews, Apple is expected to postpone the launch of its base model iPhone 18 to spring 2027, marking a significant change in the company’s long-established release cycle. The report claims that Apple has informed some of its suppliers that the iPhone 18 will not be part of the September 2026 iPhone lineup.
Instead, the company will only introduce higher-end models in the fall of that year. The base iPhone and its entry-level model, the iPhone 18e, are scheduled to launch the following March. ETNews attributes this information to industry representatives, who said Apple has already begun communicating the revised plan to its component and material partners.
In practice, the new schedule means that Consumers who want to buy a new iPhone in fall 2026 will only be able to choose from high-end models. The entry-level model and the standard base model will not be available until about six months later.
The decision would mark the first time since the iPhone debuted in 2007 that Apple has excluded a standard model from its annual fall launch. The postponement appears to be related to the launch of the first Apple iPhone Fold, which is expected to be included as a flagship alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in the fall 2026 release.
Apple iPhone 18: Pro in fall, standard in spring
Apple’s new release strategy envisions dividing the iPhone release cycle into two phases: premium devices in the second half of the year and lower-priced models in the first half. This restructuring has already begun: At the beginning of the year, Apple launched the iPhone 16e, which replaced the SE series as the company’s dedicated entry-level iPhone. Unlike the last SE, which had its own name, the E series is directly tied to Apple’s main product lineup by the previous year’s number.
Both The Information and supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in May that Apple was considering switching to a semi-annual schedule to maintain year-round sales. By launching new devices in March and September, Apple could avoid the typical consumer spending pattern that peaks in the fourth quarter following the September events, thus benefiting from times when demand is typically weaker.
This year’s iPhone 17 series will be the last to follow Apple’s traditional release structure. We expect to see a base model, the iPhone 17 Air, the 17 Pro, and the Pro Max, with the iPhone 17e following in March 2026. Apple is planning to introduce four premium models in September 2026: the iPhone 18 Pro, the Pro Max, the 18 Air, and the first foldable Apple iPhone Fold. The 18e will follow in March 2027.
By 2027, Apple’s product lineup is expected to expand to six new iPhones per year. This means that up to ten models could be available at the same time if Apple continues its practice of offering previous generations at reduced prices.
