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Apple is planning a major overhaul for its iPhone series in 2027. There’s a strong possibility that the tech giant might totally bypass the ‘iPhone 19’ name tag. According to research firm Omdia, the rebrand will mark iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
This is similar to how Apple avoided ‘iPhone 9’ in 2017 when it launched iPhone X. The strategy is part of a larger plan to resynchronize product launches and drive sales throughout the year.
Apple is likely to launch iPhone 18e and iPhone 18 during the first half of 2027, says Omdia’s senior researcher, Heo Moo-yeol. In the second half of the year, the firm can introduce the iPhone Air variant, iPhone 20 Pro, iPhone 20 Pro Max, and another generation of foldables.
The addition of foldable phones mirrors Apple’s expansion into new smartphone segments and high-end markets.
Industry experts, such as Ming-Chi Kuo, suggest that Apple is moving away from a single fall launch toward a twice-yearly release schedule. This plan aims to keep up with sales throughout the year, rather than betting everything on the September launch.
To support the shift, Apple can reduce iPhone panel orders by 20 million units in 2026, since demand will slow down briefly before foldables enter full production.
According to an ETNews report, the iPhone 17 series would be the last to follow Apple’s traditional September timeline. Buzz is strong that Apple has already informed suppliers that the next-generation iPhone 18 won’t be part of the September 2026 rollout.
The event might be exclusively for the release of flagship models. This has been interpreted as Apple’s strategic decision and has shifted from the premium phone pattern to a gradual release.
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The potential change may force consumers to wait longer for some models, but at the same time, they will get faster access to cutting-edge technologies, such as folding-screen models.
It is a great opportunity for Apple to generate hype for the 20th anniversary celebration and to maintain strong demand in the already crowded smartphone market.
