New Delhi: An updated report on supply chains indicates that Apple might not release the standard iPhone 18 until early 2027 due to the increased costs of components and limited supplies of chips that require the company to re-evaluate its traditional September release cycle. It would be a deviation from the tradition of Apple, which has frequently launched its flagship iPhone series every fall.
Nikkei Asia reported that Apple is weighing the delay to better budget resources and defend margins due to the skyrocketing cost of memory chips, and the company plans to increase production of its first foldable iPhone. The plan would enable Apple to focus on the premium models and reduce the burden on the production lines.
Base iPhone 18 may slip; the Pro models stay on track
The report says Apple plans to push the vanilla iPhone 18 to the first half of 2027. This would leave the 2026 fall window largely reserved for premium devices, likely including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the long-rumoured foldable iPhone.
Multiple industry watchers have echoed similar timelines. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, along with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, has previously indicated that Apple may stagger future launches, with entry-level models arriving months after flagship Pro variants.
Cost cuts and quiet upgrades
Leaks suggest the standard iPhone 18 could arrive with a simplified Camera Control button that drops capacitive touch, a move aimed at trimming production costs. At the same time, Apple may still offer meaningful upgrades, including up to 12GB of RAM and a new 24-megapixel main camera, up from the current generation.
This split approach would let Apple keep prices in check on the base model while reserving headline features for its premium phones.
Foldable iPhone takes centre stage
The foldable iPhone appears to be a key reason behind the reshuffle. Building it at scale will require new materials and more complex manufacturing techniques. Apple reportedly wants to avoid any disruption by focusing its 2026 capacity on higher-margin devices first.
The same report claims at least five iPhone models are in development, including the standard iPhone 18, three premium variants, and a refreshed iPhone Air 2. However, shipments of the Air 2 are now expected to slip, with a possible debut alongside the iPhone 19 series in late 2027.
For now, all signs point to a slimmer 2026 lineup led by Pro models and Apple’s first foldable. The regular iPhone 18, meanwhile, may have to wait its turn until 2027.