What does September imply to you? Possibly it’s about new beginnings as you come back to high school or faculty, or a time of change because the summer season blends into fall.
For the tech world, September means one factor: new iPhones. For the reason that launch of the iPhone 5 in 2012, the ninth month of the 12 months has just about at all times seen the reveal of Apple‘s annually-updated smartphone lineup.
Nevertheless, a constant thread of rumors suggests {that a} main shake-up to the iPhone’s launch schedule might be on the way in which.
In keeping with a tip from Weibo person Setsuna Digital (through PhoneArena), Apple might cut up the iPhone’s launch schedule in two, with the bottom mannequin iPhones popping out within the spring and the iPhone Professional and Professional Max maintaining their place as fall releases.
This corroborates rumors that circulated earlier this 12 months, as reported by Macworld..
Rumors counsel that this schedule might start in 2026, with the bottom mannequin iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Plus (or Air) launching in spring 2026 and the iPhone 18 Professional and iPhone 18 Professional Max launching, presumably, in September 2026 as traditional.
Right here at TechRadar, we attempt to hold a balanced view on rumors like this, however to be fully sincere, I believe this could be a horrible thought; let me clarify.
Horrible timing
To start with, lets take into consideration the timings that this rumored shakeup suggests – a spring launch would see the bottom mannequin iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air launch in an identical launch window to the rumored Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup.
That simply isn’t a wise match-up. Apple will at all times do superb gross sales sensible. However I’m pondering extra concerning the picture of the iPhone, which is a giant a part of Apple’s model, and arguably even the worth on provide.
That’s as a result of Samsung plainly gives extra to your cash in terms of its base mannequin handset. For reference, each the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25 begin at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.
Wanting on the current-gen Galaxy S25 towards the iPhone 16, we are able to see that Samsung’s most cost-effective flagship has a barely bigger show at 6.2 inches to the iPhone’s 6.1-inch display, extra RAM at 12GB in comparison with 8GB, and a 3rd digicam with 3x optical zoom.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 additionally has a 120Hz show, one thing the iPhone 16 nonetheless someway lacks, in addition to USB 3.0 switch speeds (which Apple arbitrarily limits to the Professional fashions). If Apple doesn’t rectify this, the rumored launch window and nearer contest with Samsung might change into an actual supply of embarrassment as these outdated specs change into simpler to note.
And that’s not even mentioning the Galaxy S25 Extremely, one of many finest telephones in the marketplace and maybe essentially the most highly effective handset ever launched from a {hardware} perspective – wouldn’t it be sensible to let the iPhone 18 face that stage of competitors and not using a new Professional Max mannequin to again it up?
Because it stands now, Apple’s yearly iPhone announcement comes quickly after Google’s Made by Google occasion within the calendar (August 20), and chances are you’ll level to the shortage of stress between the Pixel and iPhone sequence as a counterpoint to my argument. Nevertheless, as we’ve not too long ago mentioned, the Pixel doesn’t actually compete with the iPhone on efficiency, which makes it more durable to view the 2 flagship sequence as true rivals.
Higher collectively
Considering once more about Apple’s picture, I believe splitting the iPhone’s launch schedule will create a way of disunity within the model’s most essential {hardware} lineup, and will even make the iPhone really feel much less premium in consequence.
The apparent motive for Apple to separate the iPhone releases is revenue – by staggering extra cellphone releases via the 12 months, Apple might hope to remain within the information, catch extra curiosity, and generate extra income from frequent upgraders. It’s additionally attainable that the base-model iPhones would promote in increased numbers if not eclipsed by the extra highly effective Professional and Professional Max.
The factor is that money grabs aren’t stylish. Apple isn’t any stranger to market saturation, however I believe splitting up the iPhone lineup is a step past. It’d be just a little unbecoming of the world’s Most worthy firm to undertake a near-constant launch cycle for its most iconic piece of {hardware}, so any sense of exclusivity the iPhone tasks might erode within the course of.
And at last, as an Apple fan of greater than a decade, I’ve at all times seemed ahead to the September Apple occasion as probably the most thrilling tech reveals of the 12 months. I’m undecided Apple might drum up the identical quantity of pleasure with out having your complete iPhone lineup to speak about.
What do you assume? Would splitting the iPhone lineup be a horrible transfer for Apple’s cellular portfolio? Or am I overreacting to those unconfirmed rumors? The feedback part is open, tell us your ideas.
