Apple is expected to make major adjustments to the timing of iPhone releases in 2026, shifting to a strategy of releasing new models twice a year in spring and autumn in order to achieve a balanced revenue throughout the year and continue to firmly dominate the smartphone market.
The iPhone product line has long revolved around launching four new models each fall, although Apple also releases individual variants at other times of the year. Recent news suggests that Apple is planning to further formalize this arrangement to cover a wider range of product lines.
According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in the "Power On" newsletter, Apple plans to release three high-end iPhones in the fall of 2026, including iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and the rumored folding screen iPhone Fold. The regular version of iPhone 18 will be postponed to the spring of the following year, when the iPhone 18e series will also be launched simultaneously. Apple may also take the opportunity to update the iPhone Air product line.
In this way, Apple will officially confirm that the high-end iPhone models will still be released as scheduled in September, while the alpha suffix series models will be delayed by about six months. It is expected that five to six new iPhone models will be launched in batches every year in the future.
Gurman also said this model is expected to continue for many years.
In fact, similar rumors have appeared many times before. For example, there are reports that Apple will continue to launch the e-series iPhone in the spring, and there is also news that the new generation of basic iPhones may be released as early as the beginning of the year. Industry insiders generally believe that Apple is planning to make fundamental changes to the iPhone release schedule to adapt to market and company development needs.