Apple Decides to Jump from 'iPhone 18' Straight to 'iPhone 20'
At a recent conference in Seoul, Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol confirmed growing reports that Apple plans to shift the launch of its standard iPhone lineup to the first half of the year—a major strategic change expected to unfold through 2027,according to Mac rumors.
According to Heo (via ETNews), Apple intends to debut the iPhone 18e and iPhone 18 in early 2027, followed later that year by the next-generation iPhone Air, iPhone 20 Pro, iPhone 20 Pro Max, and the second-generation foldable iPhone. The change is part of a broader rebranding effort leading up to the iPhone’s 20th anniversary, with Apple reportedly planning to skip the “iPhone 19” name altogether.
This wouldn’t be the first time Apple altered its naming convention. Back in 2017, for the iPhone’s tenth anniversary, Apple bypassed “iPhone 9” and released the iPhone X (the Roman numeral for 10) alongside the iPhone 8 series. The company seems ready to make a similar move to mark another milestone.
Reports from ETNews and analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo and The Information indicate that Apple aims to transition to a biannual release schedule, launching devices in both halves of the year to balance sales throughout the calendar year. This would reduce reliance on the usual September spike and spread demand more evenly.
However, the shift comes with short-term challenges. Omdia predicts reduced iPhone demand in 2026, since there will be no standard iPhone 18 model that year. To adjust, Apple is expected to cut display panel orders by about 20 million units. Still, the company believes future sales from foldable iPhones will offset the temporary dip.
In August, ETNews reported that Apple had already informed some suppliers that only high-end models will launch in late 2026. The iPhone 17 series is therefore likely the last to follow Apple’s traditional fall release cycle.
Although Omdia initially referred to Apple’s 2027 device as the iPhone 20, the report later clarified this was likely an error and that the standard iPhone 20 will actually arrive in early 2028.
