Another tip suggests we won

• The iPhone 18 may be about to enter mass production
• That would match up with a predicted early 2027 launch
• The iPhone 18 Pro may see minimal design changes

We’ve previously heard that 2026 could see something of a shake-up as far as the iPhone launch schedule goes, and that’s backed up by a new rumor that says the iPhone 18 is on course to make its debut in the first few months of 2027.

This comes from well-known tipster Fixed Focus Digital (via MacRumors), who says that mass production of the iPhone 18 is about to get underway. That puts it some way behind production of the iPhone 18 Pro, and tracks with a 2027 launch.

If these predictions are correct, we’ll get the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and quite possibly the iPhone Air 2 in September 2026 – the traditional month when new iPhones show up – with the iPhone 18 arriving the following year.

The iPhone 17e and iPhone 18e are also expected to appear, in 2026 and 2027 respectively, and probably in springtime in the US – March seems the safest bet at the moment. It’s a significant shift, and it’s being done in the hope of selling more iPhones.

Minimal design changes

Speaking of the iPhone 18 Pro, the same tipster also says the changes to the exterior design will not be as significant as many people are predicting. There has been talk of an under-display selfie camera for the Pro models, for example.

According to this rumor, that won’t be happening, and if iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max production is already underway, it suggests there are minimal design changes. Remember that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max introduced a rather substantial aesthetic update, too.

Other rumors have suggested that the base iPhone 18 could be in line for a RAM upgrade, while all the indications are that we’ll finally see the foldable iPhone make an appearance at some point next year – quite possibly in September.

It would certainly be a bold move for Apple to change the launch schedule of the standard flagship iPhone – which has always been announced in September or October since the iPhone 4 was unveiled in June 2010 – so we’ll have to wait and see if it pays off.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.