For years, Apple has followed a predictable rhythm. Every September, a full iPhone lineup drops like clockwork. But this year, that pattern may finally break, not because of a one-off delay, but because Apple could be rethinking how it releases iPhones altogether.
According to recent reports, Apple may only launch the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max this year. The regular iPhone 18, 18 Plus, and the rumoured iPhone 18e would instead arrive in spring 2027. If that happens, the iPhone 17 would remain on sale for roughly 18 months, something Apple has never done before.
Apple has delayed iPhone launches in the past, usually for specific reasons. The iPhone 12’s October release during the height of COVID is the obvious example. But this situation isn't being framed as a production hiccup. The reporting points to a deliberate split rollout, where Pro models arrive first, and lower-end models follow months later.
Ejiro Onose
Zooming out, the logic becomes clearer. Apple now sells far more phone models than it did just a few years ago. In 2023, the lineup consisted of four devices: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Since then, Apple has added the iPhone 16e and the iPhone Air, and that’s before accounting for the long-rumoured foldable iPhone. Launching everything at once could mean announcing as many as seven phones in a single event.
Staggering those releases could give each device its own sales window while creating a clearer hierarchy: Pro models first, mainstream phones later. Cost may also be a factor. Rumours suggest the iPhone 18 series could be Apple’s first to use a new 2-nanometer chip, which would be significantly more expensive. Delaying the regular models could allow component pricing to stabilise, instead of pushing higher costs directly onto consumers.
For most users, the impact may be limited. Many people don't upgrade their phones every year. But for buyers planning a new iPhone in 2026, the decision becomes more complicated. Either stretch for a Pro model or wait several months for the standard iPhone 18 lineup to arrive in 2027.
That decision is easier because the current iPhone 17 remains a strong option. It offers solid value and even appeared on our list of the most interesting tech releases of 2025. And while the iPhone 18 is expected to introduce changes like a smaller camera bump or a pinhole selfie camera enabled by under-display Face ID sensors, those updates don't yet sound like a dramatic generational leap.
If Apple does go ahead with a split launch, it could mark a meaningful shift in how the company manages its most important product. Less about annual tradition, more about pacing, pricing, and giving each device room to breathe.
Louis Eriakha
