Apple might delay iPhone 18 to spring 2027 to make room for foldable
The company is rumored to shake up its release schedule for next year's iPhones, simply because there's too many of them
📱 Apple could shake up the way it releases iPhones starting next year
🌸 The iPhone 18 might be delayed to spring 2027
🍁 Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold would launch in late 2026
📦 It would help Apple avoid shipping a bunch of different iPhones at the same time
Apple might be making major changes to the way it releases iPhones starting next year. The company is rumored to delay the release of the regular iPhone 18 until spring of 2027, according to a report from The Information. The change is to make way for the first foldable iPhone, which is expected to ship alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Air in fall of 2026. A successor to the iPhone 16e could join the iPhone 18, giving customers two new Apple smartphones at entry-level pricing.
The delay would make it easier for Apple to manage production orders for all of its new iPhones, as well as cut down the number of manufacturing workers that the company needs. It would also help emphasize Apple’s highest-end smartphones, which are said to come with some notable upgrades next year.
The schedule shift would mean that Apple releases a total of four new iPhones in late 2026: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Air, and iPhone Fold (or whatever Apple winds up calling it). The foldable iPhone is the one we’re all paying attention to the most; it’s Apple’s first entry in the foldable smartphone market, and it’ll be one of the most monumental new iPhones of all time.
The device is expected to come with a book-style form factor, similar to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Rumors suggest it’ll come with a compact 5.49-inch outer screen and a 7.76-inch crease-less foldable display. When opened, the phone is said to be around 4-4.5mm thin, utilizing technologies from the rumored iPhone 17 Air to maintain a slim profile. It’s also said to come with a couple of rear cameras and Touch ID built into the power button.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely upgrade the experience of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro series with faster performance and camera improvements. The devices could also come with under-display sensors for Face ID and hole-punch cutouts for the selfie camera, according to The Information. The iPhone 18 Air will also be released at the same time with a rumored design refresh and a larger 6.9-inch screen.
It’s unclear whether Apple would permanently shift the release of its baseline iPhones to spring of the following year after the iPhone 18 series, but we’ll know in due time.
Before all of this happens, Apple will release at least four new iPhones: the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, all of which are expected to launch this September.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.