Supplier earnings call backs reports that Apple's base iPhone 18 will miss fall launch
Comments from Apple supplier Pegatron support earlier reports that only the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will launch this fall, while the standard iPhone 18 won't arrive until early 2027, reportedly due to chip and memory shortages.
Executives from Apple supplier Pegatron have lent further weight to long-running rumors that the company will not launch its full iPhone lineup this fall. According to a report from Economic Daily News, cited by MacRumors, Pegatron confirmed during an earnings call that while the iPhone 18 Pro series will launch as usual this fall, the standard base iPhone 18 will not arrive until the first quarter of next year.
Other models also delayed
The more affordable iPhone 18e and a new iPhone Air model are also expected to launch around the same time as the delayed base model, early next year. This lines up with speculation that has circulated in the industry for more than a year. Both analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and The Information reported last year that Apple was planning to limit its fall 2026 launches to premium devices only. Earlier this year, another Apple supplier separately indicated that one of its customers was pushing a phone launch back to early 2027.
Focus shifts to premium devices
For now, the iPhone 18 Pro is still expected this fall, alongside Apple's rumored foldable device, referred to as the "Ultra." Pegatron executives told Economic Daily News that shortages of memory chips and other components are forcing manufacturers to shift their peak shipping periods and carefully allocate available parts. As a result, companies such as Apple are said to be increasingly prioritizing higher-priced models, which carry larger profit margins.
