Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest standard model for over 18 months. This would mark the first time Apple skips an entire calendar year without releasing a new generation of its flagship non-Pro iPhone.
For more than a decade, Apple has introduced its mainline iPhone lineup in the fall, with all core models launching simultaneously in September. That pattern is expected to change this year, when the company is widely rumored to split its upcoming iPhone releases across two distinct release windows rather than unveiling the entire lineup at once. Under this strategy, Apple is expected to prioritize higher-end models in the fall while delaying lower-cost or standard models until the following year.
As a result, Apple is not expected to ship the iPhone 18 in 2026. Instead, reports indicate that Apple plans to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone in the usual fall timeframe, while holding the standard iPhone 18 back until the spring of 2027, where it will launch alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2.
The rumored change is tied to Apple's expanding iPhone lineup. With the introduction of the iPhone 16e and iPhone Air in 2025, the expected debut of the first foldable iPhone in 2026, and the continued presence of older models like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, there could be at least eight distinct iPhone models on sale from Apple by the end of 2026. A staggered release schedule would allow the company to further differentiate its models, give them a longer sales window without internal competition, and spread iPhone launches more evenly across the year.
Supply chain analysts have also pointed to manufacturing and logistics benefits as a factor behind the rumored shift. By spacing out launches, Apple could reduce production bottlenecks, better manage component supply for advanced technologies, and smooth revenue recognition across fiscal quarters rather than concentrating iPhone sales in a single period.
