KUALA LUMPUR, January 6 – Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to multiple reports suggesting a major shift in the company’s long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the strong performance of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is now believed to be delayed until spring 2027, marking the first time Apple would go an entire calendar year without introducing a new generation of its flagship non-Pro iPhone.
Under the rumored new strategy, Apple is expected to split its iPhone releases across two launch windows, prioritising premium models in the fall while pushing standard and lower-cost variants to the following year.
As a result, the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the first foldable iPhone are still expected in fall 2026, with the standard iPhone 18 launching later alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2. Analysts say the staggered approach could help Apple better manage its expanding lineup, ease supply chain pressures, and spread sales more evenly throughout the year.
