In summary:
- Macworld reports on Apple’s ambitious iPhone roadmap through 2027, featuring seven new models including the iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 series, and first iPhone Fold.
- Apple is shifting release schedules with some models moving to spring launches and expanding its three-year iPhone lineup strategy significantly.
- The 2027 iPhone XX anniversary edition may feature radical design changes with curved glass, while the iPhone Fold could offer dual displays.
When Apple launched the iPhone 17 lineup in September, it was clear that its strategy had shifted. While there were still four models, the introduction of the iPhone Air signaled the start of a three-year expansion of the iPhone lineup, with new models, a new release schedule, and a dramatic new path for Apple’s biggest product.
Just this week, a report from The Information, which has been extremely accurate in the past when it comes to Apple rumors, outlined what it expects from the iPhone lineup through 2027. Here are the highlights:
iPhone 17e: After launching the somewhat disappointing iPhone 16e in March with a notch, one camera, no MagSafe, and a $599 price tag, Apple will reportedly ship the iPhone 17e in the spring with MagSafe support, according to The Information. Other rumors have said it could get a Dynamic Island along with the A19 processor.
iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max: At its usual September iPhone event, Apple will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with two big camera changes, according to The Information: a left-aligned selfie camera and “a new camera image sensor that can capture more light at night while preventing washed-out photos during the day.” That sounds like the same mechanical aperture that was rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro was delayed a year.
iPhone Fold: Overshadowing the iPhone 18 Pro at the September event will be the launch of Apple’s first folding phone. The Information reports that it will have a 5.3-inch outside display and a 7.7-inch, landscape display when opened. This is somewhat in line with previous rumors, though The Information leans heavier into the widescreen aspect.
iPhone 18/18e: Rather than its usual spring launch, Apple is expected to shift the iPhone 18 to the spring, with a launch alongside the 18e. We don’t have much information about either model.
iPhone Air 2: While the iPhone Air’s debut made headlines at Apple’s September iPhone event, the second-gen will reportedly skip next year’s fall event and instead arrive in spring 2027 with the iPhone 18 and 18e. That could come with a price cut, according to The Information, as well as a possible second camera.
iPhone XX: In fall 2027, Apple will reportedly unveil the 20th anniversary iPhone XX (or 20), some two decades after the original iPhone debuted at Macworld Expo San Francisco. According to The Information, the design will be radically different than any other iPhone, with curved glass on all four sides and “a narrow metal band running around the midpoint of the device’s edge, where the buttons sit.”
Plus, Apple will likely launch the iPhone 19 and 19 Pro as well as the iPhone Fold 2 alongside the 20th anniversary model, so we could get more than 10 new iPhone models over the next 24 months.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.