Apple Is Skipping the Base iPhone 18 This Year, Supplier Report Adds More Evidence

Apple appears ready to make a major change to its usual iPhone launch schedule, with the standard iPhone 18 now expected to arrive in early 2027 instead of launching alongside the Pro models this September. Pegatron indirectly confirmed the change during its second-quarter 2026 earnings call, where the Apple supplier indicated that one of its customers plans to change its usual smartphone shipment schedule. Taiwan’s Economic Daily News reported that Apple plans to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Ultra in September 2026, while the regular iPhone 18 will follow during the first quarter of 2027. That would mark a major shift because Apple has launched every standard model from the iPhone 11 through the iPhone 17 alongside its Pro versions in September. Apple’s iPhone 18 Launch Schedule Apple is expected to release six new iPhone models across two separate launch windows: iPhone 18 Pro: September 2026 iPhone 18 Pro Max: September 2026 iPhone Ultra: September 2026 iPhone 18: March 2027 iPhone 18e: March 2027 iPhone Air 2: March 2027 Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and former The Information reporter Wayne Ma have previously reported similar plans, while supplier Largan Precision also hinted at the new schedule earlier this year. The split launch would give Apple two major iPhone release periods, with premium models arriving in the fall before cheaper models expand the lineup around March 2027.