Last fall, a leaked internal memo revealed Apple’s hardware chief, John Ternus, claiming the iPhone’s current roadmap was the “most ambitious in the product’s history.” Now, leaks this week laid out that big iPhone roadmap and seem to back up Ternus’s claim. Here’s what’s coming.
iPhone roadmap reveals bigger lineup than ever before
This week we got significant iPhone roadmap leaks from two prominent, reputable sources: Wayne Ma and Ming-Chi Kuo.
The iPhone 17 lineup has been clear for a while, with a base iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and the brand new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.
But now we know what to expect in the years ahead.
2026 is expected to bring an iPhone 17e early in the year, followed by four models in the fall:
- iPhone 18 Air: same size as 17 Air
- iPhone 18 Pro: corner hole punch, no big cutout
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: same as above
- iPhone 18 Fold: Apple’s first foldable
Then in 2027, Apple will debut a whopping six new iPhones.
iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will arrive in spring 2027, pushing the base model into a new release schedule.
Apple’s fall 2027 lineup will look similar to 2026:
- iPhone 19 Air: larger Air screen size
- iPhone 19 Pro: possibly no camera cutout at all
- iPhone 19 Pro Max: same as above
- iPhone 19 Fold: second-gen foldable
Ambitious new era for the iPhone
If the reporting from Ma and Kuo proves accurate, Apple plans to make two major moves with the iPhone in the years ahead:
- Growing the lineup to be bigger than ever, divided over spring and fall launches
- Launching exciting new models that set the stage for a new iPhone era
Getting six new iPhones every year, including two big launches every spring, will help spread out the current concentrated excitement around fall launch season.
We’ll have exciting new iPhone models to enjoy too, starting with this year’s Air, then continuing next year with the iPhone Fold.
Additionally, Pro models will get compelling design changes that could finally enable the dream of a truly all-screen look.
New iPhone roadmap: wrap-up
Over the last few years, iPhone sales have largely been stagnant. Apple still sells many hundreds of millions of iPhones each year, but the product isn’t growing.
This roadmap seems like Apple’s best chance yet to change that, achieving a new high for iPhone success. Hardware is only one piece of the story, as Apple needs compelling software and AI advancements too. But we’ll hear much more about those two pieces in just a few weeks.
What do you think about Apple’s rumored iPhone roadmap? Let us know in the comments.
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