There’s nothing quite like a new phone release, but there’s also no doubt that they can be a tricky tightrope for a company to walk. With that in mind, the rumors that Apple could be changing the iPhone 18 release schedule make me worry that it might have fallen off said rope.
According to rumors, Apple could still release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the rumored iPhone Fold in the fall of 2026. That would follow the company’s usual trend, but the big change has to do with the other options. It appears that Apple could release the regular iPhone 18 and the cheaper iPhone 18e six months later than those phones, in the Spring of 2027.
I can see the idea behind this from a business standpoint. It puts the priority on the more powerful — and more expensive — phones first. However, from a consumer’s standpoint, I really don’t like this change for a couple of reasons.
It feels like you’re being pushed to one option
One of the big issues for me is that a an iPhone 18 release date schedule like what’s been rumored seemingly punishes anyone with a preference for a simpler iPhone over the more expensive versions. This is especially true if you’re looking to upgrade your phone to the latest device as part of a contract.
Rather than having the chance to upgrade your iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 to the latest model at the same time as everyone else, you would now have to wait six months. That’s a long time, and even though we’re holding on to phones longer, we still don’t want to feel penalized for a preference.
Not only are you going to have to wait, you’ll also spend six months seeing all the new features Apple’s sure to show off with the Pro models. Sure, this could make you excited for your new phone, but the iPhone 18 likely won’t offer some of the new additions, which could be disappointing.
It’s also worth noting that your new iPhone 18 isn’t going to be new for long, as Apple will likely release the iPhone 19 Pro only six months later. Honestly, it’s not ideal, and could end up leaving some users feeling a bit left behind.
Six months is a long time in hardware terms
Speaking of six months, there are a lot of questions about what could happen between the two releases, especially when it comes to the competition. After all, a spring release date would be just after the likely next release of Apple’s biggest competition: Samsung’s Galaxy phones.
For reference, Samsung usually announces its next generation of phones in the middle of February, and then releases them a couple of weeks later. We have no idea what phones Samsung could release in 2027, but let’s assume we’ll see the Galaxy S27 lineup — that that’d be a base model, a plus version, and an Ultra. That’s a lot for the iPhone 18 to compete with, especially if it’s using similar hardware to a phone released six months prior.
So imagine, for a moment, that you are looking forward to the iPhone 18. However, you’re well aware that the iPhone 19 Pro is just around the corner. Not only that, you’ve also just seen everything coming with the next generation of Samsung phones. Honestly, it would make me feel disheartened about my new phone before I even had a chance to buy it.
It’s not all doom and gloom
There are some potential benefits to a later release date for the regular iPhone 18. For one thing, releasing the phone later on could result in more upgrades. At the very least, Apple would be able to better present its strengths, as it will no longer be struggling to escape the Pro models’ shadows.
There’s also an argument that a more staggered release date is actually a benefit to the customer, as it means more options throughout the year. However, it’s worth noting that Apple could just release the iPhone 18e and get much the same effect in this regard — which is exactly what it did this past spring with the iPhone 16e.
At the end of the day, Apple hasn’t confirmed any of this, so we can’t say that this is a definite plan. Until then, let us know what you think and if you’d be let down by having to wait six months later.
Alternatively, do you think it could be a good idea overall, and help make your choice of which phone to buy easier?
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