Apple hasn’t officially announced the exact release date of the next iPhone yet, but all credible leaks still point to a fall launch window, most likely in September 2026 for the main “new iPhone” event.

Quick Scoop

  • Apple almost always launches flagship iPhones in September, and insiders expect that pattern to continue into 2026.
  • Rumors say 2026 could bring an iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in fall, with some cheaper or “base” models possibly slipping to early 2027 instead of all arriving together.
  • A budget-focused iPhone 17e is expected earlier in 2026 (leaks suggest February–March), so that might be the “new iPhone” you see first this year.

In short: the big keynote iPhone is still expected around September 2026, while a cheaper “e” model could appear in the first half of 2026, and some future base models may be pushed into early 2027.

Mini timeline (rumored)

  • Early 2026: iPhone 17e, likely via press release and shipping between February and April.
  • Fall 2026: iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, likely at Apple’s usual fall event (around September).
  • 2027: Standard iPhone 18 and some lower-cost variants could be delayed to spring 2027.

Important caveat

All of this is based on leaks and analyst reports; Apple can still change plans, and nothing is confirmed until invites and announcements go out.

TL;DR: Expect the next big iPhone announcement around September 2026 , with a cheaper iPhone 17e likely showing up earlier in the year, and some future base models possibly pushed into 2027 if the staggered schedule rumor is accurate.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.