In a move that would mark its most significant strategic shift in over a decade, Apple is reportedly preparing to overhaul the traditional iPhone release cycle. According to a new report, the tech giant plans to introduce its future flagship smartphones in a staggered manner, breaking from its long-standing practice of a single, grand autumn unveiling.
A Two-Phase Launch for the iPhone 18 Family
Renowned Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter, has revealed Apple's ambitious new plan. The company is targeting a release for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max between September and November of 2026. This period is also rumoured to be the potential debut window for Apple's highly anticipated, first-ever foldable iPhone, a device that has been in development for years and signifies a major evolution in the company's hardware design.
If this plan materialises, it will be the first time Apple launches three premium iPhones simultaneously in a single autumn season.
Standard Models to Follow in Early 2027
The more affordable segment of the iPhone 18 lineup, which is expected to include the standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and an updated iPhone Air, will not arrive alongside the Pro variants. Instead, Gurman reports that Apple is aiming for a spring 2027 release, likely between March and May.
This two-stage rollout represents a fundamental departure from Apple's established playbook, where the company traditionally introduces all four main iPhone models every autumn, with occasional budget-friendly models like the SE or "e" version arriving earlier in the year.
Why Apple is Changing its iPhone Release Strategy
This strategic pivot is described as a direct response to the immense internal pressure created by Apple's tightly packed autumn schedule. For years, the company's engineering teams, global suppliers, and marketing divisions have struggled with the intense workload of simultaneously preparing multiple new devices, iOS updates, and other platform enhancements.
The demanding timeline is believed to have contributed to operational challenges, such as the fragmented rollout of Apple Intelligence features in 2024, which underscored how congested the company's annual product calendar had become.
By spacing out its major launches starting in 2026, Apple aims to achieve smoother product rollouts, better coordination with manufacturing partners, and more development time for major new features and technologies.
Gurman further adds that under this new structure, Apple could offer consumers a wider range of choices annually, with five to six iPhone models being refreshed at different times of the year. This approach would allow Apple to maintain market momentum consistently, rather than relying on a single, massive product launch event.
If these plans proceed, the next two years are set to bring the most dramatic changes to the iPhone family since Apple first adopted a multi-model strategy.
