Apple is reportedly changing the launch cadence of its iPhone lineup next year, delaying the base iPhone 18 variant from the fall of 2026 to the spring of 2027, all in a bid to reduce the strain on suppliers during the fall season.
Mark Gurman: Apple will launch the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in the fall of 2026 alongside the iPhone Fold, with the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and the iPhone Air 2 possibly launching in the spring of 2027
The legendary Apple-focused tipster, Mark Gurman, is out with another hot take today, disclosing that Apple's iPhone launch cadence is all set for a significant change next year.
Specifically, Gurman thinks that Apple will launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the much-anticipated iPhone Fold in the fall of 2026. Then, come the spring of 2027, the Cupertino giant will launch the base iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and possibly the now-delayed iPhone Air 2. This means that the cheapest iPhone that Apple will launch in H2 2026 will be the iPhone 18 Pro, costing $1,099!
While initially it was believed that Apple might be delaying the iPhone Air 2 to equip it with a dual camera setup, Gurman does not buy into that theory, arguing that redesigning the smartphone's plateau for the "least used iPhone camera seems like a lot of work for a phone that few people are buying."
Instead, the Bloomberg tipster thinks the delay might have a lot to do with the upcoming A20 chip that will leverage TSMC's 2nm process, replete with Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging, which would allow components such as the SoC and the DRAM to be directly integrated at the wafer level.
Given the production constraints around TSMC's 2nm node, Apple's launch cadence changes might be an efficient way of managing limited supply for the A20 chip.
According to Gurman, the move is intended to reduce the strain on Apple's suppliers, especially during the launch-heavy fall months, and to create a more evenly spread annual revenue profile.
Also, by staggering its product releases, Apple would gain more time to ensure that each product is as polished as possible. This has become all the more important in light of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max's "paint gate" controversy.
Additionally, by launching its budget iPhone offerings in the spring and the more premium ones in the fall, Apple would presumably be able to better maintain an year-round excitement and hype cycle, instead of the one that is primarily centered around the fall season, as is the case right now.
Our take: Apple's cheaper iPhone models risk cannibalizing one another with this strategy
On paper, Apple's new plan sounds eminently reasonable. However, there are a few nuanced downsides to this launch cadence overhaul. Firstly, the base iPhone 17 has proven to be very popular, especially due to its combination of flagship-level features - which include the LTPO OLED display, an 8GB RAM, and the immensely capable A19 chip - with a fairly reasonable price point.
Will Apple really handicap its fall release cadence by launching premium-only iPhones, especially when those products might not sell as well as its cheaper iPhones?
Then there is the risk of cannibalizing. By separately aggregating all premium and cheaper iPhones, Apple's iPhone lineup risks cannibalizing itself, which would severely hamper its broader goals of smoothing out the annual sales volume variations.
Consequently, while Mark Gurman certainly does have a proven track record of accurate leaks, we would still suggest that our readers exercise caution on this specific tidbit, especially given the broad-based ramifications that such a change entails.
Note: The post has been updated with additional details on the iPhone Air 2's delay.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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