Apple is reportedly planning a major change to how it releases new iPhones, starting with the iPhone 18 series in 2026.
According to a report from The Information’s Wayne Ma (via 9to5Mac), Apple could start launching its top-tier phones in the fall as usual, but delay the lower-end models until the following spring.
“In 2026, Apple plans to stagger the launch of new iPhones so more premium models are released in the fall followed by cheaper ones in the spring. It’s also betting on a foldable iPhone and under-display sensors to enable near edge-to-edge screens,” writes Ma.
The move is aimed at boosting iPhone sales, which have been flat in recent years, since major features have been minimal at best. Apple reportedly hopes that spacing out its releases might generate more buzz and keep consumers interested throughout the year for new iPhones.
In the meantime, Apple is getting ready to launch a new, ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year. But suppliers are skeptical—it’s only expected to make up about 10% of Apple’s production capacity, and manufacturers are already planning to shift focus if sales disappoint.
As for 2026, Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and possibly its first foldable iPhone in September. Then in spring 2027, it would follow up with the standard iPhone 18 and a new version of its budget-friendly iPhone 16e, skipping a potential iPhone 17e model next year.
Normally, the regular iPhone would debut alongside Pro models, but that looks to be possibly changing. We’ll have to wait and find out. The iPhone 17 series isn’t even out yet and here we are talking about the iPhone 18 series. If you don’t need a new iPhone every year anymore, you may as well just wait a few years for the major changes.
