Leaker: This Is Why Apple Is Delaying the iPhone 18

[Dustin Lenzz]

Hmm, so maybe the iPhone 18 = iPhone 18e+?? Time will tell.

 

[jimbobb24]

These down grade articles are the most boring ever. Final specifications not decided. Duh. Who cares?

 

[gummybear2026]

Apple's strategy is plain stupid! Downgrading the iPhone 18 is going to bite them.

 

[mlayer]

Usually, I very much enjoy the rumor mill reporting, but I'm having issues with this one. This whole idea that the base model iPhone 18 is going to be a "downgrade" just seems so contrived and intentionally vague to me. A "downgrade" compared to what? The base 17? Or just in comparison to the Pro models? Or is it just a reference to a perceived narrowing gap between the base model and the even lower end "e" model? Or is it all leading up to a last second revelation that the "e" model is going to be rebranded as the new "base" model, with the incredibly unlikely scenario that Apple discontinues the next base model equivalent... right after the current version became the most popular model Apple has ever released?

It all just makes me feel like there has to be an important angle on this story that has been missed entirely, and we're all just grappling with rumor reporting that will eventually end up being revealed as far less reliable than what we've come to expect, of late.

Yeah, I'm trying to think ahead to this fall's iPhone model comparison chart on Apple's website. Exactly what will be missing or remain the same, or get worse? By that point the base 17 should drop to $699, which will make it even more of a good deal. If people don't see value for the base 18 why not go for the base 17? What about the 17e in all of this? Chip-and-ship has been the MO for the base iPhones. The 17 set a pretty high bar.

 

[vantelimus]

I find it amusing that there's talk of downgrading something that hasn't even been released yet. A less sensational way to frame this rumor is:

The global economy is shifting, and supply chains are being disrupted due to certain... let's call them "geopolitical events". As a result, Apple is exploring ways to control costs through standard product-manufacturing methods, such as using more affordable materials and increasing component reuse across product lines.

 

[Happy_John]

Very sad to hear they’re destroying the iPhone 18. Not a great legacy for Tim Apple.

We haven't heard that. We've heard random rumor-mongers saying it. Not the same thing.

 

[chars1ub0w]

As the article points out, China is a very important market for Apple due to its sheer size and wealth. But as anyone who regularly travels there knows, it's a very competitive market with many vendors with high-end phones, high-end cameras. The reason is that without a smartphone, you may starve in China. Everything is done only via apps, from delivery services to restaurant menus to paying for a drink at a vending machine (no cash accepted). Apple needs to be careful, delays can mean slip-ups in this ever-changing market. Also, place where you can see lots of people with folding phones.

 

[aggravated_raspberry]

'Leaker'?

Haven't we been saying around these parts since before Christmas that Apple is splitting their launch windows (like Samsung) to better let their expensive products breathe and cash in on the festive season? Thats not a leak but common sense.

Seriously, this story is old news and it sounds like it’s strategic, not a ‘delay’.

“Take it from me”, who is this person lol

 

[kushner]

I will then extend the 17 window to infinity by postponing my 18 purchase.

 

[MysteriousStain]

I kept my 5s for five years, my XS for seven and a half. By the time I get around to replacing the 17 the cutout will be gone, it will be a very different phone and will always be an upgrade.

 

[Plutonius]

All Apple's decisions are based on money.

 

[lepetitnicolas]

I can't wait for the iPhone Fold Nano XL Plus Max Pro Watch. This will really be the future.

 

[cmontyburns]

Baloney. I wish Macrumors would exercise some amount of editorial judgment with this stuff. Apple's plans for a split-release approach have been reported for much, much longer than any of this stuff about de-contenting the 18 has beeb around. It makes good sense given that this fall should see the introduction of of the folding iPhone, giving Apple 4 different phone models, or five if you count the Pro and Pro Max as two different phones. They don't need to do all that at once.

As for de-contenting the 18, sure, OK, I don't doubt Apple is looking at ways to get costs down -- as they do all the time with any product. But they brought a bunch of previously-Pro level features and specs to the 17 line this year and that resulted in absolutely blowout sales, the best in iPhone history. That in turn fueled the most profitable spring quarter in Apple's history. It would be quite a thing for them to conclude the next logical step is to undo some of that. "For iPhone 18, we took everything customers loved about iPhone 17 and made it 10% worse! It's not quite the best iPhone we've ever made!"

 

[ab2c4]

As the article points out, China is a very important market for Apple due to its sheer size and wealth. But as anyone who regularly travels there knows, it's a very competitive market with many vendors with high-end phones, high-end cameras. The reason is that without a smartphone, you may starve in China. Everything is done only via apps, from delivery services to restaurant menus to paying for a drink at a vending machine (no cash accepted). Apple needs to be careful, delays can mean slip-ups in this ever-changing market. Also, place where you can see lots of people with folding phones.
View attachment 2627893

If that Pura 80 Pro was sold in the US I absolutely would have it. Why can't Apple make phones that well designed? I want that phone bad, er, any phone with rounded sides.

 

[Mainsail]

Its likely that they will remove one camera because its the only thing visible for costumers and it will make the Air more attractive to them. Also they soft launched it with their two in one camera marketing for the Air.
18e one camera and 60hz
18 one camera
18 Air two cameras
18 Pro three cameras

Seems like a lot of hassle and retooling expense. If reducing cost is the objective, why not just keep the 17 for another year and offer a few new colors....maybe a minor processor upgrade? I still don't get how creating a downgraded model is going to save Apple $$ compared to just keeping the 17 around for another year.

Besides, Apple almost always sells the prior year model when a new one is released. Are they going to release the 18 with one less camera and whatever other "downgrades" next to the 17, which is a better phone? Doesn't make sense.

 

[Stetrain]

There's a lot of "Why" in this "leak"

Supply chain leakers know *what* Apple is working on, the shape those products are, the components that go into them, and the volume they are being produced at.

They don't know *why* Apple is doing any of those things at an upper management level, or how Apple will price and market the final product.

 

[Contact_Feanor]

so the 18 will be worse than the 17 just with a different number? wonder if the will continue to sell it along with the iPhone 18 on a discount next year. That would be strange

I think they're reading too much into it. What he said was that the "planned specs for the 18" are downgraded, not that the 18 is a downgrade compared to the 17; which is what most rumor sites seem to making of that and running with. However, this article makes me question the whole thing, we've been reading for over half a year that they're splitting the release cycle; but suddenly it is a supposedly a strategic shift responding to current conditions? I call ******** 🙂

 

[Wanted797]

I’m not confident to say I called it just yet.

iPhone 17 Air/Slim is clever marketing to nerf the base iPhones.

Here’s my tinfoil hat conspiracy theory behind the rumours iPhone 17 slim/air. I think they’re trying to make the divide between base and Pro phones bigger. By nerfing the base iPhone. As rumoured this year they will bring out the 17 slim along side both base and pro phones. With its slimmer...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[m1mini]

I agree. I don’t know what “downgrade” means. If it comes in the Spring 2027, does this suggest it will have a lower speed processor, less RAM or storage than the 17? Will it have an inferior screen or camera compared to the 17? This all seems incredibly unlikely that the 18 would be inferior to the 17. Why not just keep making the 17 for another year and introduce the 18 in the Fall of 2027 or early 2028? Doesn’t make any sense.

I guess I don’t get what “downgrade” means in this context.

hear me out. it won't be a downgrade, but it also WON'T be an upgrade. they will reskin 17 with 18 pro's screen that has smaller dynamic island, and couple more features (like how 14 had crash detection despite the only other spec bump was 2gb ram). and keep the a19. if we are lucky we are also getting 12gb ram, but thats it.

 

[schlitzz]

I have a standard 17 Pro. It’s hard to understand WHY buying a new phone every year is encouraged. Downgrading the phones might make sense, but that’ll impact performance, with regard to Safari. And with the iPad models epsilon, gamma, and delta, we may end up paying more for new, that might not outperform what we already have.

I upgraded for the display. Shouldn’t be a mystery.

 

[Happy_John]

hear me out. it won't be a downgrade, but it also WON'T be an upgrade. they will reskin 17 with 18 pro's screen that has smaller dynamic island, and couple more features (like how 14 had crash detection despite the only other spec bump was 2gb ram). and keep the a19. if we are lucky we are also getting 12gb ram, but thats it.

???? - you say it won't be an upgrade, but then you've literally gone on to list upgrades you expect to be implemented:

smaller dynamic island
a couple more features ( vague )
12 Gb RAM.

These are upgrades.

 

[Padre_Pio]

We've finally reached the point where Apple is showing what it thinks of its less affluent customers.

 

[Happy_John]

We've finally reached the point where Apple is showing what it thinks of its less affluent customers.

No, we're just reached the "slow news day" point, were posters are blurrily speculating based on someone else's blurry speculation.

This is not a thread to take seriously, and it'll be long forgotten by the time the iPhone 18 is announced.

 

[BSDnostalgia]

It’s hard to understand WHY buying a new phone every year is encouraged.

It is good for me. That is, when you buy a new phone, or a new car, it allows me to buy a used, uh, refurbished, uh, pre-owned, phone or car. Thanks!

 

[Gotword]

You think with the longer wait they could actually give us a better design or a screen with no dated black bezels or notch etc