Apple Delays iPhone 18 Base Models to Spring 2027 as $2,000 Fold Leads Fall 2026 Launch
Updated
Updated · The Gadgeteer · May 22
Apple Delays iPhone 18 Base Models to Spring 2027 as $2,000 Fold Leads Fall 2026 Launch
8 articles · Updated · The Gadgeteer · May 22
Spring 2027 is now the reported launch window for the base iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and second-generation iPhone Air, leaving Apple without a lower-priced current-year iPhone in September 2026.
September 2026 would instead feature the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and Apple’s first foldable—widely called iPhone Fold or Ultra—with the foldable expected to start above $2,000.
The Pro models are rumored to carry Apple’s 2nm A20 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM and a C2 modem aimed at Qualcomm-level mmWave support plus expanded satellite connectivity.
Camera upgrades are also concentrated in the Pro tier, with leaks pointing to a variable-aperture system and a stacked triple-layer sensor designed to improve low-light shots and dynamic range.
If the split launch holds, the iPhone 17 remains Apple’s newest standard model for longer, while buyers seeking a cheaper 2026 iPhone would have to wait until early 2027.
With a 2nm chip and foldable screen, will the 2026 iPhone lineup deliver the biggest leap forward in a decade?
Will Apple’s first foldable phone, priced over $2,000, finally make the new technology a mainstream must-have?
Is Apple's split iPhone launch a brilliant profit strategy or a gamble that will push customers to Android?