Report: Apple to split 2027 iPhone launches across spring and fall

The report said Apple will continue the iPhone 18 lineup after introducing a split release schedule in 2026, then debut a new round of flagships in fall 2027 to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary. For spring 2027, 9to5Mac reported that Apple plans to introduce the base iPhone 18 in the spring for the first time. The report said upgrades for the iPhone 18 are not clear, though more RAM is a key rumor, and thermal upgrades and the new Apple C2 modem are likely. It said Apple may update the design to align more closely with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro, but that is not yet known. The phone is expected to use the A20 chip and probably start at $899, the same price as the iPhone 17 after it rose from $799 last month, according to the report.

The report said the iPhone 18e will most likely be a chip bump from the A19 to the A20 and debut in spring alongside the iPhone 18. Earlier this year, reports indicated Apple would share many components between the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e, though the implications for the devices are not clear, 9to5Mac said.

The iPhone Air 2 is also expected in spring 2027. According to the report, Apple went back to the drawing board after a lukewarm reception for the first iPhone Air and modified the design to fit an ultrawide camera, which meant the phone could not be released last month. The report said the change may matter for sales because many people see a single rear camera and assume it is less premium. It said the iPhone Air 2 may integrate a smaller Dynamic Island similar to the iPhone 18 Pro, move from Apple's C1X modem to the C2, and have a larger battery reported at 3500mAh, roughly a 10% improvement over the original iPhone Air.

For fall 2027, 9to5Mac reported that Apple is expected to debut a fully redesigned iPhone 20 Pro for the 20th anniversary. The report said it will reportedly be more glassy, feature significantly slimmer bezels, ditch the flat-edge design of the iPhone 12 and later models, and offer a much smaller Dynamic Island, likely with a hole-punch selfie camera and under-display Face ID. The report questioned whether the device would truly replace the Pro phone because of thermal concerns, though it noted that the iPhone Duo appears to have strong thermals without an aluminum unibody.

The report said Apple will also release an iPhone Duo 2 next fall. It said there are not many substantial rumors for the phone, though Face ID and better cameras could be in the pipeline, and it will likely use next-generation Apple Silicon with the A21 Pro chip.