There will be no iPhone 18 in 2026.

The standard iPhone 18 version will be pushed back to 2027. Photo: MacRumors .

Despite the resounding success of the iPhone 17 series in 2025, its successor, the iPhone 18, is not expected to appear until spring 2027.

Specifically, according to MacRumors , instead of launching all models simultaneously in September as usual, 2026 could see a calculated strategic split by Apple.

In September 2026, Apple is expected to release only three high-end models: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold (or possibly called iPhone Ultra).

The next trio of products—the iPhone 18e, iPhone 18, and iPhone Air 2—will not be officially introduced to consumers until spring 2027.

Sources also suggest that the reason for this change lies in the fact that Apple's product line is becoming increasingly crowded. By the end of 2026, the product catalog could include at least eight different iPhone models.

Launching all products at once will cause them to compete with each other and reduce sales performance. Instead, a staggered launch schedule will help increase brand awareness, extend the product lifecycle, and especially avoid a concentration of sales in one particular time of year.

Additionally, supply chain analysts have pointed out that spacing out product launches offers significant benefits in terms of manufacturing and logistics.

Apple's partners won't have to assemble four or five new models at once. Component management will also be better, especially with scarce high-tech components.

In fact, this dilemma began to emerge with the iPhone 17 series and the introduction of the iPhone Air, which replaced the Plus line. Although sales haven't exploded, the iPhone Air has attracted a significant number of users who were previously loyal to the Pro line.

Previously, according to MacRumors , this change could be linked to the foldable iPhone, expected to be launched in the fall of 2026 as the highest-end device, alongside other models such as the iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, and 18 Pro Max.

The new strategy means Apple will launch iPhones in two phases: the second half of the year with the high-end models and the first half of the following year with the budget models.

In fact, part of this strategy was already implemented by Apple earlier this year when it launched the iPhone 16e, a cheaper alternative to the iPhone SE. Unlike the iPhone SE, which has its own name, the iPhone "e" model is directly linked to Apple's main product line.