Commentary: As someone who has been writing about the iPhone for over a decade, I'm ready to see Apple step it up in this perhaps unexpected way.

Apple will announce four models in September 2026: the iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone.

The iPhone 17 is reportedly rumored to be announced in September, meaning Californians may be just weeks away from their next upgrade. Last year, Apple introduced its iPhone 16 range on Sept. 9, with the new phones ready for pre-order later that week. In September of 2023, Apple unveiled its iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner. This year, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone

That's a big problem for Apple, because it means fewer iPhone sales and the risk of losing market share to rivals, including Samsung. According to data from Telemetry, the most commonly owned iPhone is the iPhone 13, representing 16.3% of all iPhones in use.

Apple has decided to change its launch lineup in 2026: regular iPhone 18 won't launch, new foldable iPhone is changing up the release schedule.

The standard iPhone 17 could see some welcome display upgrades. At least one supply chain source claimed it will add a 120Hz variable refresh rate (ProMotion) display, which the Pro series has used since 2021.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Monday the UK had agreed to drop its mandate for iPhone maker Apple to provide a "backdoor" that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens.

The base model iPhone 18 might not make its debut until spring 2027, reportedly so Apple can showcase new foldables. Higher-end iPhone 18 models are still on tap for 2026, though.