Apple May Skip iPhone 18 This Year In Favour Of iPhone Fold, But There's A Catch

Hyderabad: Apple is expected to make some changes to this annual iPhone release cycle in 2026, with multiple reports pointing towards the delay in the launch of the standard iPhone 18 model. The tech giant is expected to split the iPhone lineup across two distinct release windows, where it would focus on its premium models in Fall and release other devices in Spring the following year.

This means, in September 2026 (Fall), Apple would launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside the long-rumoured foldable device, iPhone Fold. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 will debut somewhere between March and May 2027 (Spring) alongside the affordable iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2.

Apple has long followed the tradition of launching the new iPhone lineup in the Fall every year, which includes the Pro variants, standard model, and one variation of the standard iPhone in the form of mini or Plus. Apple first introduced the mini model with the iPhone 12 series in 2020 and followed it with the iPhone 13 mini in 2021. However, the compact device was ditched in favour of a big screen as the model couldn't stand up to the demand of the other models in the series.

Apple brought back the Plus model from 2014, and introduced the iPhone 14 Plus in 2022 as a new variant for people who just wanted a big screen without having to spend a fortune on the Pro Max model. The Plus model continued till 2024 with the iPhone 16 Plus, but it also couldn't match the demand of other models in the series. Apple finally replaced the Plus model with a super-slim Air version in 2025, which accompanied the iPhone 17 series.

Earlier in the year (Spring of 2025), Apple also released the iPhone 16e, an affordable version of the iPhone lineup, which is sort of a successor to the iPhone SE lineup. Due to low demand, the fate of both the 'e' variant and the 'Air' variant floats in the uncertain waters. However, it would appear that Apple is planning to give them a chance by splitting the iPhone lineup into two windows so that they would stay out of the shadow of the Pro phones. Considering Apple also plans to join the foldable race, it makes sense for the tech giant to split the lineup.

However, it would remain to be seen whether the iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e would stand their ground before the standard iPhone.