For years, Apple has stuck to its usual iPhone launch schedule, with its latest models usually arriving like clockwork every September. But this year, the usual iPhone 18 was nowhere to be found.
While some may be disappointed by the six-month delay, I think Apple made the right call. Not only does it give the long-awaited foldable iPhone more room to shine, but it highlights an uncomfortable truth about modern smartphones: We probably don’t need a new one every 12 months.
Apple has broken tradition for the first time in years
September is known for one thing on the tech calendar: new iPhones. Apple has stuck to the same launch schedule for its iPhone collection for year at this point, this trend started back with the iPhone 4S. Yes, there were a few slips here and there – for example, it was pushed to October 2020 at the height of Covid – but the bulk of iPhones were released in September.
But not this year.
For the first time, Apple decided not to launch the entry-level iPhone alongside its Pro-level siblings. We’ve seen the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, complete with a rumored variable aperture for its 48MP main camera, major battery upgrades and increased performance from the Apple A20 Pro, but the regular iPhone 18 was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, rumors suggest that Apple will delay the launch of the iPhone 18 for another six months and plans to unveil it alongside the next-generation iPhone Air and iPhone 18e at a spring 2027 event.
It will probably appear sometime between March and May; While the flagship iPhone hasn’t yet been released this spring, Apple has used the window to launch other iPhone variants — notably the wallet-focused iPhone SE and iPhone “e” models — and products like the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Blame it on the foldable iPhone
Of course, we know the real reason Apple didn’t launch the iPhone 18 earlier this week — the iPhone Duo. Apple’s first foldable iPhone is a long the time will come, it’s been rumored for literally years, and it had to be a big part of the launch event in September.
This also makes sense; It’s the first time Apple has debuted a phone in this form factor, and it did so years after most of its Android competition, so it needed more time to explain what made it so special.
While the segment for products like the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 ended in just over 12 minutes, Apple took about 25 minutes to reveal the foldable iPhone, from the hardware elements like the wristband, dual-cell battery design, screens and cameras, to the small software additions that really elevate the foldable experience.
Now, the argument is that Apple could have simply extended the event to accommodate the iPhone 18, and that’s true, but I think Apple executives were worried that it would just get lost in the shuffle with the more advanced (and exciting) Pro and Duo models.
Obviously, these models would get the most attention from attendees, the media, and likely die-hard Apple fans, giving the traditional iPhone 18 a chance to really shine. By separating the launches by six months, Apple is likely hoping that the iPhone 18 will get the attention it deserves, rather than a simpler version of the flashier, cooler iPhones.
We really don’t need a new iPhone every year
I don’t think this was Apple’s intention in delaying the iPhone 18 launch by six months, but it really got me thinking; do we really need a new iPhone model every 12 months? Now, more than ever, probably not.
The iPhone 17 remains the same capable smartphone it was a year ago. It has a fantastic screen with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, dual 48MP cameras, solid battery life, and great performance that still beats the Android competition. And anecdotally, it seems to be more popular than ever; I know three people who bought one in the last six weeks.
And let’s be honest, the iPhone 18 probably won’t be much better. It’s not like it was a decade ago when every generation represented a giant leap in technology; These days, annual updates are much more incremental—a chip bump here, a slight increase in battery life there—while overhauls and truly shiny new technology are far less common.
With this change, it doesn’t really make sense for manufacturers to launch new phones every 12 months. I would argue that waiting a little longer and making more meaningful updates and tweaks would make for a much better game. Let’s make phone demos really interesting again guys.
That means it arrived with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro are new generations of iPhone and iPhone 17 are now available there is one year old, so a price reduction to reflect the slightly older condition would have been a good way to appease fans.
But instead, Apple quietly did the opposite, raising the price of the iPhone 17 – along with the iPhone Air and iPhone 16 – by £100 in the UK and $100 in the US following Wednesday’s event. I mean, I get it: RAM and storage are more expensive than ever, and the new iPhones are also £100 more expensive than last year, but bit naughty.
Either way, I think Apple was right to delay the iPhone 18 launch — though probably not for the same reasons as Apple Park.
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