Supply chain suggests: iPhone 18 not until next year
Apple apparently plans only three new iPhones in the fall, and two or three more in the spring. This is now being whispered by the supply chain sparrows.
The iPhone 17 Pro will likely get its successor in the fall, while the iPhone 17 will follow later.
(Image: heise medien / Sebastian Trepesch)
Those hoping for a quick successor to the iPhone 17 will likely be disappointed this fall. Following rumors from last year that Apple plans a smartphone split in the next device generation, an Apple supplier is now making corresponding hints. Apparently, Apple's plan is to present only the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max as well as the new foldable, alias iPhone Ultra in September. In the spring, possibly in March, the standard iPhone 18 and a new entry-level model called 18e will follow. Apple is also planning a second edition of the iPhone Air for the beginning of next year.
The "important US customer"
Lin En-ping, Chairman of the Taiwanese optoelectronics producer Largan Precision, which is on Apple's supplier list for camera lenses, said at the company's last shareholder meeting that an "important US customer" has postponed the launch of a new product to the first quarter of 2027. As is usual with Apple suppliers, the customer's name was not mentioned. However, Largan is known as the main supplier of said camera components for the iPhone.
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The customer is "shifting its procurement schedule later in the year," Lin En-ping continued. This means Largan Precision's capacity utilization in the fourth quarter will be higher than expected. The components will then need to be ready for production from the beginning of 2027. This aligns with previous rumors.
Apple is staggering iPhone sales
Apple has apparently been planning to move away from a main season for some time. This traditionally takes place in the fourth quarter of each year: the new iPhone models are announced in September and then sold heavily during the Christmas season. By splitting the models between fall/winter and winter/spring, the fluctuations are less significant.
New iPhones in the spring are not new anyway – for a long time, Apple has used February or March at irregular intervals for the release of entry-level models. For example, the iPhone 16e arrived at the end of February 2025, and the iPhone 17e in mid-March 2026. The spring timing would become even more attractive with additional models like the iPhone 18 standard model and the iPhone Air 2.
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