Apple may be preparing to break with one of its longest-running product traditions. According to a report, the company is unlikely to introduce a standard iPhone 18 model this year, signaling a potential overhaul of its familiar annual iPhone release schedule.
While the iPhone 17 lineup enjoyed strong momentum following its debut in 2025, the next base-model upgrade may take considerably longer to arrive. MacRumors notes that the regular iPhone 18 is now expected to launch in early 2027, meaning the iPhone 17 could remain Apple’s newest non-Pro option for more than a year and a half. If this timeline holds, it would be the first instance in which Apple skips an entire calendar year without refreshing its flagship standard iPhone.
Over the past decade, Apple has consistently unveiled its full iPhone lineup each September, introducing all variants simultaneously. This approach now appears to be changing. Apple is moving toward a staggered launch strategy, splitting iPhone releases across different months of the year rather than concentrating them into a single event in the fall. Under this model, premium devices would continue to take priority in the autumn, while more affordable or mainstream versions would follow later.
As a result, Apple is not expected to ship the standard iPhone 18 in 2026. Instead, MacRumors reports that the company plans to debut the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside its first foldable iPhone, during the usual fall window. The regular iPhone 18 would then arrive several months later, launching in spring 2027, together with the iPhone 18e and the second-generation iPhone Air.
The reported shift is closely linked to Apple’s rapidly expanding iPhone portfolio. Models like iPhone 16e and iPhone Air were added in 2025, and a foldable iPhone is expected in 2026. While older devices like the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus remain on sale, Apple could be offering as many as eight different iPhone models at the same time by the end of next year. And one of the reasons could be that spreading launches across the calendar would help reduce overlap between models, extend their individual selling periods, and make the lineup easier to position.
Curated by James Chen
