The iPhone 18's delay is reconfirmed by another report

We've already heard a few times that Apple plans to delay the vanilla iPhone 18 until next spring, not releasing it alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max this fall.

This rather unusual delay, representing an important shift in Apple's release strategy, is now confirmed by yet another report from Asia. The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will launch on time in the fall, and the iPhone Fold will be announced alongside them.

The iPhone 18, according to this new report, is only scheduled to come out at some point in the first half of next year. The move "is intended to optimize resources and maximize revenue and profits from premium models amid surging prices for memory chips", multiple sources have told Nikkei Asia. The next iPhone Air may arrive alongside the iPhone 18 in 2027.

It's also apparently critical for Apple to "minimize any potential production hiccups while mass-producing its first-ever foldable iPhone", according to the same people. The shift in the release strategy could help Apple better manage supply chain resources.