Shocking: There will be no iPhone 18 in 2026
The iPhone 17 is the last of a generation. Apple is changing its strategy starting with the iPhone 18 series, and the entry-level iPhone 18 is the first to be affected.
Not that the iPhone 18 isn't coming, it just won't come in the fall of 2026. Apple plans to cut its iPhone launch in two with the iPhone Pro and Air being announced in the fall as usual. The vanilla iPhone and iPhone -e will then follow early the following year.
Samsung is applying exactly this strategy for its Galaxy S and Z models. The former will be introduced early in the year, the latter in mid-summer. Throwing Apple's strategy upside down is not only to better spread sales over the year, it's also to make room for a foldable iPhone.
Folding iPhone -e
This is not the first time we have heard about this new iPhone strategy. Now Korean ETNews is also confirming this move. Incidentally, Apple already launched its simpler iPhone e-model during a separate time. It will henceforth be accompanied by the entry-level iPhone which immediately suggests that the iPhone -e will receive annual updates.
So in September 2026, only the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone 18 Air are expected. It is not inconceivable that Apple will also announce its very first foldable iPhone then. Apple will most likely opt for a booklet-style foldable similar to Samsung's Z Fold 7. Fans can count on a relatively high starting price.
