It's August, the height of summer, and rumors about the next iPhone are a hot topic every year around this time. It is expected that the announcement will be made in September in 2026, but things seem to be a little different than in previous years. Comprehending overseas reports and analyst forecasts, it has been pointed out that the iPhone 18 series may be released in two parts: in the fall and next spring.
In this article, we have summarized the rumors of the iPhone 18 series as of early August 2026, including the lineup, announcement/release timing, and specifications.
The view is that it will be divided into two parts: Pro in the fall and Muji in the spring.
The likely lineup is that the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and folding model iPhone Ultra will be announced in September 2026, with the unbranded iPhone 18, the low-priced iPhone 18e, and the second-generation iPhone Air scheduled for spring 2027. However, opinions are divided among overseas media regarding the composition of the spring lineup as to whether Air should be included or not.
Until now, it was customary for around four iPhone models to be announced at a time at an event in the fall. However, considering that the ``iPhone 16e'' and ``iPhone 17e'' were announced in the spring following the release of the ``iPhone 16'' and ``iPhone 17,'' respectively, this move can be said to further clarify the company's policy of releasing flagship models in the fall and popular and low-priced models in the spring.
Will the announcement be made on September 9th? Estimates based on past patterns
Regarding the announcement event for the next "iPhone 18" series, it seems likely that it will be held on Wednesday, September 9th (US local time).
Apple often holds announcement events on the Tuesday following Labor Day in the United States, and in the last five years, it was on a Tuesday in 2021, 2023, and 2025. However, there are exceptions such as Wednesday in 2022 and Monday in 2024.
Labor Day in 2026 will be on September 7th, and the last time it was on the same day of the week was in 2015. This year, Apple announced the iPhone 6s on Wednesday, September 9th. From this, MacRumors predicts that it is likely to be announced on Wednesday, September 9th in 2026 as well. According to the same article, a scenario in which pre-orders would start on September 12th (Saturday) and release on September 18th (Friday) could be considered.
Normally, reservations start on Friday, but in 2015 it was Saturday, September 12th. This year, September 11th was a Friday, and there is a view that this may be a result of Apple avoiding September 11th, but the reason has not been officially explained.
A competing scenario is that the announcement will be pushed back to September 15th (Tuesday), pre-orders will start on September 18th (Friday), and release will be on September 25th (Friday).
The latest iPhone announcement dates, reservation start dates, and release dates are summarized below. All dates are Japan time.
prices are likely to rise
There has already been some movement on prices.
Apple is increasing iPhone prices in Japan by up to 11% on July 17, 2026. The main changes are as follows (all tax included, 256GB model).
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 194,800 yen → 214,800 yen (10% increase)
iPhone 17 Pro: 179,800 yen → 194,800 yen (8% increase)
iPhone Air: 159,800 yen → 177,800 yen (11% increase)
iPhone 17: 129,800 yen → 142,800 yen (10% increase)
iPhone 17e: 99,800 yen → 107,800 yen (8% increase)
iPhone 16 (128GB): 114,800 yen → 124,800 yen (9% increase)
Apple has not explained the reason, but since the same revision has not been made in the United States, it is thought to be due to the weaker yen. Additionally, in June, prices for MacBooks, iPads, etc. were increased worldwide.
On top of that, multiple analysts are of the view that the price of iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max will increase further. The reasons cited are the rise in chip costs due to TSMC's adoption of the 2nm process, and the soaring prices of memory and storage due to demand for AI data centers.
Regarding the range of price increases, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu posted on X that the prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may increase by $250 to $300. If prices go up by $250 to $300 in the US, domestic prices are likely to rise accordingly.
Key changes in iPhone 18 Pro
Appearance and display
The display sizes are 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, and are said to be the same from the iPhone 17 Pro. The overall design is also expected to remain largely unchanged, including the "plateau" on the back that houses the three-lens camera.
Although it is expected that the shape will not change significantly, one change in appearance that has been raised is the reduction of the Dynamic Island. In January 2026, leaker Ice Universe claimed that the width of the dynamic island would be narrowed by approximately 35%, from the current approximately 20.7 mm to approximately 13.5 mm.
At one time, there were reports that ``the in-camera will be moved to the punch hole in the upper left of the screen, and the pill-shaped notch will disappear,'' but the current consensus is that it will be shrunk.
The display uses a new technology called LTPO+, which is said to improve battery life. Rumor has it that the Ceramic Shield part on the back will no longer have the current two-tone structure and will have a more matte, integrated appearance.
It is expected that there will be four colors: dark cherry, light blue, black (some say dark gray), and silver, and the current colors Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue are expected to be discontinued.
Processor and communication function
The processor is expected to be equipped with the A20 Pro chip. It is said to use TSMC's first generation 2nm process, and is expected to improve each generation in both performance and power efficiency from the 3nm A19 Pro.
In terms of communications, it is expected to be equipped with Apple's third generation modem, C2. It follows the C1 (iPhone 16e) and C1X (iPhone Air). There are also rumors that this C2 will enable 5G connectivity via satellite even in places where Wi-Fi or mobile connections are not available.
camera and more
There are rumors that the main 48-megapixel Fusion camera will support variable aperture. You can control the amount of light passing through the lens, giving you greater control over depth of field. However, smartphone image sensors have large size constraints, and it is unclear how effective this will actually be.
In addition, there is information that the battery capacity of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will increase by approximately 10% compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the body will be thicker.
