According to a new report from Wayne Ma from The Information, Apple may be looking to shake up its release strategy with the iPhone 18 lineup, with some models launching in the fall as they would normally, and others moving to a new spring release window.
With this plan, Apple hopes to “rejuvenate” its iPhone sales. In more recent years, iPhone sales have remained pretty stagnant, as year over year upgrades have gotten smaller.
Part of Apple’s plan to revive its sales has to do with the launch of the new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air this year, though suppliers aren’t confident that phone will do well. According to the report, only around 10% of production capacity is being dedicated to it.
Beyond the iPhone 17 Air, Apple also wants to implement a staggered release schedule for the iPhone lineup. Starting in 2026 with the iPhone 18 lineup, Apple would like to launch the premium models in the fall, and the lower end models later in the spring.
This means we’ll see iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max launch in September 2026 as they usually would. Apple also aims to launch its first ever foldable iPhone in September 2026. However, normal iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will launch later:
The iPhone 18 series will include updated versions of Apple’s thin iPhone, Pro and Pro Max, along with the new foldable device. In spring 2027, Apple plans to release the standard iPhone 18 and a successor to the more budget-friendly iPhone 16e, the people said.
Both those models, which are based on older and less complicated designs, will undergo manufacturing trials first in India as part of Apple’s efforts to reduce its manufacturing risk in China, two of the people said.
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