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iPhone 18 release date just got new evidence of delay, per leak

Rumors have indicated for a while now that this fall’s iPhone lineup will have a major change, with no base iPhone 18 launching. And we just got even more evidence of an iPhone 18 release date delay via a new leak.

Base iPhone 17 production being extended longer than usual, says leaker, pointing to iPhone 18 delay

This fall’s iPhone launch event would normally be referred to as the iPhone 18 event. But evidence keeps building that no base model iPhone 18 will actually debut this year.

Instead, Apple’s new flagship lineup is expected to include iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone Ultra, and possibly iPhone Air 2.

The base iPhone 18, per a variety of sources, is being pushed back to early 2027.

And the latest evidence of this change comes from a new post by reputable supply chain leaker Fixed Focus Digital.

Per the leaker, Apple has officially extended production of the base iPhone 17 longer than usual. It’s even expanding capacity with anticipation of a sales cycle longer than the norm.

In any other year, we would expect iPhone 17 production to wind down leading into the iPhone 18 launch in the fall. Apple does continue selling older base models longer than one year, but sales are understandably reduced after a successor arrives.

With iPhone 17 production being extended, it seems all but certain that the base iPhone 18 release date will be later than the norm.

What do you think of Apple shaking up its iPhone launch schedule this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.