Apple delays iPhone 18 base model to 2027, launches Pro in fall
Pegatron earnings call confirms Apple will stagger iPhone 18 launch, releasing premium models this September and budget phones in Q1 2027.
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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 12 items across 5 sources · 7h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
What to know
- Apple will split its iPhone 18 launch for the first time in over a decade, releasing Pro and Ultra models this fall while pushing base and budget variants to Q1 2027.
- Component shortages are forcing Apple to stagger shipments and prioritize higher-margin devices, according to supplier Pegatron's earnings guidance.
- The iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 will also arrive in early 2027 alongside the base iPhone 18, creating two distinct launch windows.
How it unfolded
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The Verge reporting on the Pegatron confirmation adds context that memory and chip shortages are causing Apple to spread out component availability and prioritize higher-priced models with larger profit margins.
“memory and chip shortages are causing the peak shipping seasons to shift, as its customers like Apple figure out how to spread out the parts they have”
Pegatron executives (via Economic Daily News) · Press ↗ -
MacRumors breaks down the Pegatron earnings call findings, noting that the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will all arrive in Q1 2027, marking a significant departure from past launch patterns.
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Pegatron held a Q2 2026 earnings call where executives indirectly confirmed Apple's plan to separate iPhone 18 launches. The Economic Daily News reported that Pegatron indicated one of its customers (Apple) will change its smartphone shipment schedule, with Pro models launching fall 2026 and base models in Q1 2027.
What people are saying verbatim
“memory and chip shortages are causing the peak shipping seasons to shift, as its customers like Apple figure out how to spread out the parts they have”
Pegatron executives, Apple supplier leadership · The Verge ↗
“Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable "iPhone Ultra" this September, followed by the standard iPhone 18 model in the first quarter of 2027.”
Economic Daily News (via Pegatron earnings call), Reporting on supplier confirmation · MacRumors ↗
“The standard iPhone 11 through to the iPhone 17 all launched alongside Pro and Pro Max models in September over the years, so the launch of the base model iPhone 18 being postponed until around March 2027 would be a notable change.”
MacRumors, Tech publication · MacRumors ↗