Apple appears set to dramatically change how it rolls out new iPhones this year. According to multiple foreign outlets, the premium iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, along with Apple’s first foldable iPhone, will be unveiled in September, while the standard iPhone 18 and the more affordable iPhone 18e will be pushed back to next spring. Tech outlet Stuff noted that Apple’s once-predictable annual release cycle is being strained by the burden of managing multiple models simultaneously and by a general slowdown in smartphone development pace. 9to5Mac and MacRumors have both offered the same forecast — that only the Pro lineup and the new foldable model will be unveiled at September’s event.

According to MacRumors, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone — possibly to be called the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra — in the first half of September, with actual availability following in the latter half of the month. The lower-cost standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, by contrast, are expected to be split off and launched separately next spring, though outlets differ slightly on timing — some point to spring 2027, others to around March 2027. Industry observers attribute this split launch to the sheer complexity of a lineup that has grown to six models: the iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone Ultra. Cramming the Pro, Pro Max, standard, budget, Air series, and foldable models all into a single September event would dilute the product messaging too much, the reasoning goes. Some analysts also suggest Apple may want to split the lineup specifically to give the premium Pro models more of the spotlight.

The lukewarm reception to last year’s iPhone Air is also cited as a factor behind this shakeup. Reviews and sales were reportedly both underwhelming, leading some to question whether — or when — a second-generation iPhone Air will even arrive. Other outlets, however, suggest the second-generation iPhone Air could be unveiled next spring alongside the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e.

Predictions vary slightly on the exact event date. Stuff expects Apple to hold its event on Tuesday, September 8, with pre-orders opening September 11 and a full launch on September 19. 9to5Mac, on the other hand, points to Wednesday, September 9 as the most likely date, noting that while Apple hasn’t sent official invitations yet, it recently began recruiting U.S. retail staff for an Event Support Experience Program — an early signal that the event will fall in the first half of September. According to 9to5Mac, Apple has sent invitations exactly 14 days before its event date for four consecutive years, from 2022 through 2025. If that pattern holds, invitations for a September 9 event would go out around August 26. This event also carries added significance: with a new CEO taking office on September 1 and the outgoing CEO moving into the role of executive chairman, this would mark the first iPhone event held under the new leadership.

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Attention is also focused on how much prices might rise. The iPhone 17 started at $799 for the 256GB model, with the iPhone 17 Pro starting at $1,099 and the Pro Max at $1,199. Stuff believes Apple is likely to apply an increase of roughly $100 across the board to stay competitive, though it considers the more aggressive estimates of up to $300 floated by some analysts unlikely. MacRumors, meanwhile, estimates the U.S. starting price for the iPhone 18 Pro models could run $200 to $300 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro. The most eye-catching forecast concerns the foldable model — 9to5Mac reported that either the Pro model or the first foldable iPhone could be priced as high as $2,500, putting it in MacBook Pro territory. Given rising costs for new chips and memory along with more advanced components, a price increase across the new iPhone 18 lineup compared to its predecessor is considered all but certain.

With price pressure mounting, Apple appears to be preparing ways to help customers absorb the cost. Last July, the company launched a new Apple Upgrade program built on Klarna’s leasing infrastructure, letting customers lease an iPhone over 12 or 24 months. Because customers only pay a portion of the device’s full price, monthly payments end up lower than a standard installment plan over the same period; once the lease ends, customers can upgrade to a new device, return it, or pay the remaining balance to keep it. Apple has also raised most of its trade-in values recently — the iPhone 16 Pro Max now fetches up to $720, up from its previous value, while the iPhone 16 Pro rose to $630. Trade-in eligibility was also expanded to include Android devices such as the Google Pixel 9 series, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and OnePlus 13 and 13R. While none of this directly lowers the price of the iPhone 18 Pro or the foldable model itself, it’s seen as a strategy to reduce monthly lease costs and boost trade-in values in order to draw more Android users into Apple’s ecosystem.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is likely to be unveiled alongside the Pro models at the September event, but actual sales may not begin until later in the year, due to anticipated production and supply constraints. As Apple’s first foldable product, manufacturing yield and component supply stability are expected to be the key variables determining its early success. The Pro lineup itself isn’t expected to look dramatically different from the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max on the outside, though several generational changes have been floated, including a smaller Dynamic Island and support for satellite-based 5G connectivity. There’s also speculation that Apple could use the September event to unveil new AirPods equipped with a camera — not primarily for photography, but as an accessibility feature aimed at helping blind and low-vision users.