Apple is changing the way it releases new iPhones. Starting in 2026, Apple will no longer launch all models at the same time in the fall.
Instead, Apple will release its Pro models in the fall and its base and budget iPhones in the spring of the following year.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Slim, and the first foldable iPhone will arrive in late 2026, likely in September.
However, the base model iPhone 18 will not launch with them. Instead, Apple will release it in spring 2027, about six months later.
This is a big shift. Apple has followed a fall release schedule since the iPhone 4s in 2011. But starting with the iPhone 17e in spring 2026, the new schedule will split the lineup.
The iPhone 17 series, including the base and Pro models, will still launch together in 2025.
In late 2027, Apple will introduce the iPhone 19 Pro series and the second-generation foldable iPhone, while the base iPhone 19 and iPhone 19e will follow in 2028.
The change is meant to improve marketing and manage manufacturing more smoothly. It also helps Apple respond to rising competition, especially in China, where rival phones often launch in the spring.
By spreading out iPhone releases, Apple hopes to give more attention to each model and keep up with global demand.
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