Apple is expected to soon unveil its new flagship lineup, including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Ultra - its first foldable iPhone - at an event on September 9 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in California.

This year’s iPhone season, however, could look noticeably different, with the standard iPhone 18 reportedly not launching alongside the premium models.

Standard iPhone 18 to miss the Pro launch?

Apple has sent out invitations for an event at 10 a.m. on September 9 local time, or midnight on September 10 in Vietnam, where the company is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro generation, its foldable iPhone, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The most notable change in Apple’s iPhone strategy this year may not be the launch date itself, but the structure of the product lineup.

According to current leaks, the standard iPhone 18 will not be released in the fall of 2026. Instead, Apple is reportedly delaying the model until early 2027.

If the reports prove accurate, Apple’s premium iPhone lineup this fall will consist of just three models: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Ultra, which may alternatively be called the iPhone Fold.

That would mark a significant departure from Apple’s approach in recent years, when the standard and Pro versions have typically debuted together at the company’s September event.

Splitting the release schedule could also help Apple draw a clearer distinction between its premium iPhones and models aimed at the mainstream market. At the same time, the move could give Apple more room to focus attention on its Pro models and an entirely new product such as the iPhone Ultra.

When will the iPhone 18 Pro go on sale?

If the iPhone 18 Pro follows Apple’s traditional launch schedule, pre-orders will open on the Friday immediately after the event, with deliveries beginning the following Friday.

In 2025, for example, the iPhone 17 was announced on Tuesday, September 9. Apple opened pre-orders on September 12 and officially began sales on September 19.

In 2024, the iPhone 16 was unveiled on September 9, with pre-orders opening on September 13 and sales beginning on September 20. A year earlier, the iPhone 15 was announced on September 12, followed by pre-orders on September 15 and its official release on September 22.

Based on that pattern, with Apple holding this year’s new iPhone event on Wednesday, September 9, customers could be able to pre-order the iPhone 18 Pro from September 11.

September 11, however, is a particularly sensitive date in the United States. Apple could therefore consider opening pre-orders on September 12 instead.

If everything proceeds according to the expected schedule, the iPhone 18 Pro could reach customers on Friday, September 18, 2026.

iPhone Ultra could be the biggest wildcard

While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to follow Apple’s traditional release schedule, the iPhone Ultra remains a question mark.

There is currently no consensus over whether the iPhone Ultra will ship at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro. The device is rumored to be an entirely new premium product for Apple and could follow a separate release schedule.

If the iPhone Ultra goes on sale later, Apple would have more time to finalize production and distribution before bringing the device to customers worldwide.

What could ultimately make the 2026 iPhone season different, however, is the possible delay of the standard iPhone 18 until early 2027.

Rather than releasing a full range of new iPhones together in September, Apple is likely to focus attention on three premium models: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Ultra.

Hai Phong