Where’s the iPhone 18? Here’s Why Apple Didn’t Reveal a New Standard iPhone

The Apple Sept. 9 event revealed a new lineup of devices, including new Apple Watches, the new iPhone 18 Pro and the first foldable iPhone Duo, with one glaring omission: The standard iPhone 18 was nowhere to be seen. Apple didn’t comment on the absent phone, but rumors say it will come early in 2027 — and there are several reasons why the company would delay its entry-level model to next year.

It’s a pivotal moment for Apple. The event was the first for new CEO John Ternus, who started his role on Sept. 1, and we’re learning in real time whether he plans to stay the course his predecessor, Tim Cook, set or take Apple in a different direction. The foldable iPhone Duo is a bold foray into a niche subset of phones that sell a fraction of the flat iPhones that make up the bulk of Apple’s earnings every quarter. 

But Apple has masterfully navigated expanding its lineup with a product that fits between its existing devices. The iPad was introduced to fit the niche between phones and laptops, and the foldable iPhone seems aimed at the gap between smartphone and iPad. In the background is the RAM shortage, making memory and components pricier than ever — and indeed, the iPhone 18 Pro got a $100 price bump over its predecessors, and the current iPhone 17 got more expensive as well.

Amid those conditions, there are potential reasons for Apple to push its more basic phones to next year. The easiest assumption is that it will make the company more money, with the iPhone 18 Pro undoubtedly priced higher than the iPhone 18 — anyone eager to upgrade right now only has the more expensive phones to choose from. 

It’s possible that Apple wants to space out its different models to better meet demand, possibly accounting for the production complications that arise with parts getting pricier from the RAM shortage. Or maybe they just want to give the folding iPhone Ultra the limelight. Nabila Popal, senior research director at the International Data Corporation, feels this move is brilliant strategy and surprisingly not spurred by the memory crises or supply side constraints.

“It allows Apple to spread its shipments more evenly throughout the year and simultaneously allow the spotlight on the premium models this fall — especially the new iPhone foldable,” Popal said.

Releasing the iPhone 18 later may not dim the unit’s sales, either: In the first half of 2024 and 2025, the baseline iPhones released the fall before still made up 16% of Apple’s total shipments in those periods, Popal said.

One thing is for sure: Apple is making big shifts with its Sept. 9 event; its tagline, Surprise and Shine, is telling.

A lineup shakeup: Bumping the iPhone 18 to 2027 and no iPhone Air 2

Last year’s iPhone Air was a marvel of engineering, following what seemed to be a new trend of slim phones after the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge released earlier in 2025. But what had been a trend has disappeared in 2026, with no high-profile phones released whose main claim to fame is an extremely slender width.

Presumably, that’s because Apple and Samsung lost confidence after the very low sales for either slim phone. The IDC reported that the iPhone Air sold just 7.7 million units over four quarters, and the Galaxy S25 Edge sold 2.3 million over five quarters. Neither phone exceeded 1.8% of total phone sales for either brand across those time periods, IDC said. It’s always possible that Apple does release another iPhone Air later on.

But all the work to slim down conventional phones seemingly hasn’t gone to waste — it’s likely contributed to trimming the width on foldable phones. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is 5 millimeters when unfolded flat, but Samsung has gone even further, with the wide-format Galaxy Z Fold 8 down to 4.5mm and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra reaching 4.1mm when fully unfolded. Considering that the Galaxy S25 Edge was 5.8mm, the company’s best foldables reaching nearly 2mm thinner is an achievement.

So Apple is relegating its iPhone 18 to 2027, likely earlier in the year. That’s around when it launched the iPhone 17E (in March 2026), so the company could be bundling its baseline iPhone 18 and likely even cheaper iPhone 18E in the same event. This would set a new schedule for Apple: more affordable phones earlier in spring, and then the next generation of its top-tier premium iPhones in its typical September launch window. This gives each lineup its own well-deserved attention and spotlight, IDC’s Popal noted.

“Apple is spreading its portfolio to a wider consumer demographic and giving consumers more choice, which is always good for business,” Popal said.

The iPhone 18 could be accompanied by an iPhone 18E and even an iPhone Air 2, Popal predicts. Even if these will conceivably be cheaper than the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo models, they’ll still likely be pricier than their predecessors — because Apple’s already made its older iPhones more expensive.

Typically, when Apple announces a new standard iPhone, the previous version is discounted $100 and sold for another year or so. Instead, it’s raised iPhone 17‘s price at $900, ripping the band-aid off now before the next baseline iPhone launches at a higher price. This could better distinguish it from the traditionally cheaper E-series phones like the $600 iPhone 17E, which appeal to a different, more budget-conscious segment of the market, Popal believes. Apple knows consumers will feel the sticker shock of the price increases, which is why it’s retained the iPhone 16 in its current lineup — though it, too, has gotten a bump back up to its original $800 price, a change from the discounted $700 it had been up until this morning.

That twice-per-year release schedule matches what Samsung has done for years, with an event in January for its premium flat phones and then another in August for its foldables. We’ll have to see whether Apple turns its spring showcase into an announcement event — perhaps bundling it with the Macs and home accessories that have sometimes simply launched via press release. It’s a brand new day for Apple, and anything is possible under Ternus. We’ll just have to see what’s in store for iPhones, folding and flat.

David Lumb

Managing Editor, Mobile

David Lumb is a managing editor for the mobile team, covering mobile and gaming spaces. Before CNET, he covered tech, gaming, and culture for TechRadar, Engadget, Popular Mechanics, NBC Asian America, Increment, Fast Company and others. As a true Californian, he lives for coffee, beaches and burritos.

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