The iPhone 18 base model may not arrive at Apple’s fall event after all. Apple has scheduled its next iPhone showcase for September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Eastern), teasing the presentation with the tagline “Surprise and Shine!” Viewers tuning into the livestream can expect the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and, if analyst expectations hold true, the first official look at an Apple foldable phone.
According to leaks and industry chatter, Apple appears set to prioritize its premium, higher-priced devices this year and delay the standard iPhone 18. That cheaper model is now rumored for a spring 2027 debut, potentially arriving alongside an iPhone 18e and a possible second-generation iPhone Air.
Why Apple Is Reorganizing Its Launch Schedule
The shift may be tied to an ongoing memory shortage that has pushed up component costs across the industry. Apple has not been immune. In June, former Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged the company would raise product prices to keep pace with manufacturing expenses.
“Our assumption is that they’re going to be launching three models in the fall, the premium side of the models of the 18 series,” says Nabila Popal, a senior director of data and analytics at IDC. “Then the mid/budget devices will be launched in the spring.”
Popal describes the move as a smart strategy, allowing Apple to spread revenue between its typically strong fourth quarter and a usually weaker spring quarter. With a broader product portfolio, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max lineup also holds more appeal for buyers already prepared to spend on a new device. She frames the approach as part of a “premiumization” of Apple’s hardware, letting the company build hype around its pricier options rather than raising prices on its most affordable phone.
Foldables, Financing, and the Road Ahead
When components get more expensive, companies can absorb the costs, raise prices, or lean into the premium positioning as Apple appears to be doing. Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at the Global Electronics Association, remains optimistic about what rising prices mean for customers over time.
“Throughout the history of time, the deflationary pressures of technology have always flowed to the consumer,” DuBravac says. “I’m confident that will be the case again. It just will take some time for the markets to solidify.” In short, new technology tends to launch at a high price before manufacturing efficiencies and competition drive costs down.
That relief may not come quickly for folding phones, which are more expensive than ever. Samsung’s entire 2026 Galaxy Z folding lineup saw price increases, as did Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Motorola’s Razr 2026 models. Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone is expected to cost around EUR 1,721.
To offset those high costs, Apple is leaning on financing and trade-in programs. In July, the company launched an iPhone leasing program that lets customers pay a monthly fee to use the newest iPhones and swap them out when a new device is released.
