It has been rumored for a while that Apple will stagger its iPhone launches this coming September by launching its higher-end iPhone models in the fall and launching its lower-end and standard iPhone models the following spring. Now this report gained further credibility thanks to a new report from Nikkei Asia.
As we expect, Apple is expected to launch its first-ever foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in the fall of 2026, and the regular iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e will make their debut in the spring of 2027. The second-generation iPhone Air, on the other hand, is currently in development, but we shouldn’t expect that to come out this year.
I believe this staggered approach would allow Apple to boost sales and revenue even further. By introducing its more expensive/premium Pro models in the fall, Apple should see a significant boost in revenue, especially during the holiday shopping season. Since spring has been around the mid-cycle of the iPhone’s annual update cycle, it would usually be the time when Apple sees slow sales from the iPhone, so to boost sales, Apple would launch some sort of iPhone hardware refresh. In the past, Apple offered one new color for the iPhone, but last February saw the launch of the iPhone 16e. We expect Apple to launch the iPhone 17e in a few months, and as mentioned before, we can expect Apple to make the same effort again by introducing the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e in spring 2027.
Another reason for Apple’s upcoming launch strategy, according to the source, is to optimize resources, especially with the ongoing rising memory chip costs. We even heard directly from Apple that iPhones have seen significant supply constraints from Thursday’s earnings call, and with Apple’s upcoming foldable being another manufacturing feat to mass produce, it’s becoming more imperative for Apple to mitigate any bumps in the road as production ramps up ahead of its expected launch this coming fall. I personally think this strategy is the right move for Apple, especially to promise what to deliver for customers.
What do you think about Apple’s upcoming launch strategy? Sound off in the comments below.
