New reports suggest Apple may not release the base model iPhone 18 this year.
There have been many reports, with the recent one from Nikkei Asia, which suggests that we may not get the iPhone 18 this year as Apple is focusing on the Premium Models in 2026 due to the memory crisis, disrupted supply chain and such issues that every other manufacturer is facing.
In September 2026, Apple will be revealing its next in line iPhone devices, including the new iPhone Fold, followed by a release, while the base model iPhone 18's release will reportedly be pushed to Q1 or Q2 2027.
According to Nikkei Asia, "The move is intended to optimize resources and maximize revenue and profits from premium models amid surging prices for memory chips and other materials.”
They further explained how the new iPhone Fold may also indirectly affect the iPhone 18's launch, as they said, “It is also critical for Apple to minimize any potential production hiccups while mass producing its first-ever foldable iPhone, which requires more complicated industrial techniques and new materials that could require more time to reach required levels of production quality.”
Apple has supply chain constraints this year. This is not a surprise, as even Tim Cook during the recent investor call said:
“The constraints that we have are driven by the availability of the advanced nodes that our SoCs are produced on, and at this time, we’re seeing less flexibility in the supply chain than normal.”
The more we learn about the different supply constraints, the more the reports suggesting no iPhone 18's this year feel plausible. We are tracking this and will report if we have anything new.