A few new experiences reveal that Apple could quickly combine up its iPhone launch schedule, debuting its higher-end fashions within the fall with the entry-level iPhones within the spring.
Whereas this is able to mirror Apple’s technique for its price range iPhones just like the erstwhile iPhone SE household and the brand new iPhone 16e, it appears to be like like Apple plans to go a step additional and debut its base-model iPhone (sans suffix) alongside its new e-series.
The iPhone 17 lineup is predicted to be largely enterprise as typical, no less than by way of the schedule. The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Professional, and iPhone 17 Professional Max ought to arrive in September, alongside a brand new “iPhone 17 Air” that can change the iPhone Plus. So, we’ll nonetheless get 4 fashions debuting concurrently, similar to yearly since 2020, when Apple added the iPhone 12 mini into the lineup.
Nevertheless, Apple will reportedly combine issues up in 2026, in accordance with impartial experiences from The Data’s Wayne Ma and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That’s the 12 months Apple is predicted to lastly debut its long-awaited “iPhone Fold,” and the idea is that it could must make room for it within the lineup.
Oddly, plainly solely the iPhone 18 could be pushed off into the spring of 2027, to be launched concurrently the iPhone 18e. The so-called “iPhone 18 Air” would nonetheless present up in September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Professional, iPhone 18 Professional Max, and “iPhone 18 Fold.” Right here’s how Kuo is breaking it down:
- 2H25: iPhone 17 Professional Max, iPhone 17 Professional, iPhone 17 Slim, iPhone 17
- 1H26: iPhone 17e
- 2H26: iPhone Foldable, iPhone 18 Professional Max, iPhone 18 Professional, iPhone 18 Slim
- 1H27: iPhone 18, iPhone 18e
- 2H27: iPhone Foldable 2 (already kicked off), iPhone 19 Professional Max, iPhone 19 Professional, iPhone 19 Slim (with a bigger show vs. 18 Slim)
“1H” and “2H” consult with the primary and second halves of the 12 months, respectively. It’s a secure wager that “2H” means September, nevertheless it’s tougher to pin down when Apple would unveil these spring fashions. Kuo additionally notably nonetheless makes use of the time period “iPhone Slim” to consult with what others have known as the “iPhone Air.”
Aside from the iPhone SE and iPhone 16e, practically each iPhone launched since 2011 has arrived within the fall, nearly all the time in September. The primary fall launch, the iPhone 4S, got here in early October, and the 2020 iPhone 12 was delayed into October as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Apple’s three generations of iPhone SE fashions arrived in March and April.
- iPhone SE (1st gen): introduced March 21, 2016, launched March 31, 2016
- iPhone SE (2nd gen): introduced April 15, 2020, launched April 24, 2020
- iPhone SE (third gen): introduced March 8, 2022, launched March 18, 2022
The iPhone 16e got here earlier, in February this 12 months, however many consider Apple accelerated the schedule to get an reasonably priced iPhone again on sale in Europe after the EU’s USB-C mandate compelled the unique iPhone SE off the cabinets.
Ma means that one motive Apple is contemplating such a shift is to cut back the pressure on its iPhone manufacturing amenities because it provides a fifth gadget to its lineup. It additionally seemingly doesn’t damage that shifting the extra reasonably priced fashions a couple of months down the street will assist goose gross sales of Apple’s costlier iPhones from keen clients who need the most recent tech.
Kuo provides that Apple can be searching for methods to deal with the “advertising and marketing hole” created by opponents who launch new flagship telephones within the first half of the 12 months and maintain the momentum of its advertising and marketing efforts going all year long. In previous years, Apple has used mid-cycle shade refreshes to assist it promote extra gross sales. Nevertheless, it stopped doing that with the iPhone 15, and there’s no indication that we’ll be seeing a brand new iPhone 16 shade this 12 months both; the relatively bland iPhone 16e might be it for early 2025.
Apple’s fall launch cycles have change into so frequent which you can sometimes mark the week of an Apple occasion in your calendar, if not the precise day will probably be held. The unique iPhone was introduced in January 2007 however wasn’t launched till the top of June that 12 months. Apple caught with that timeframe for the following three releases, with a June announcement throughout its Worldwide Builders Conferences (WWDCs) and the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4 occurring sale every week or two later.
Nevertheless, these had been the times when Apple didn’t even have two sizes of iPhone, a lot much less normal and “professional” tiers. It’s no coincidence that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Professional adopted the identical dimension the 12 months the iPhone 12 mini got here alongside, and the iPhone 14 Plus would have made issues even simpler in 2022, giving Apple solely two sizes to deal with. Against this, even the “iPhone Air” may have essentially completely different manufacturing necessities; add within the “iPhone Fold,” and it’s most likely sufficient to achieve the tipping level for pushing Apple’s provide chain to its limits.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]