iPhone Ultra/Fold delayed or no iPhone 18 this year? Apple supplier’s comments drop hints
Apple could be preparing for its biggest iPhone launch shake-up in more than a decade – we’ve heard this before but the clues are now getting stronger. Fresh comments from a key supplier have added credibility to previous reports that the standard iPhone 18 will not launch this year, although some reports claim the delayed product could instead be Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone, presumably being called iPhone Ultra.
For years, Apple has unveiled its entire flagship iPhone lineup together in September. That tradition is under review this year as past reports have pointed to a split launch strategy starting with the iPhone 18 series, and the new comments add fuel to the fire.
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Apple to host separate launch events in September and Spring 2027?
The latest clue comes from Largan Precision, Apple’s primary supplier of iPhone camera lenses. Speaking at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting, chairman Lin En-ping said (via) a major US customer had postponed the launch of a new product until the first quarter of 2027. As per machine translation, his exact comment was, “The fourth quarter of this year will be busier than in previous years due to customer new product scheduling factors, with some new products expected to be launched in the third quarter and others postponed to early next year.”
While Lin did not identify either the customer or the device, the comments are significant because Apple suppliers rarely discuss future product schedules publicly. He also noted that some new products would launch in the third quarter of this year while others had been pushed to early next year.
The remarks align with multiple reports claiming Apple will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this September, while delaying the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and the next-generation iPhone Air until spring 2027. However, there is another possibility. Some reports claim the delayed product referenced by Largan could actually be Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which has been variously referred to as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra.
The contradictory reports have created uncertainty around Apple’s roadmap. Earlier leaks suggested the foldable iPhone was almost certain to debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup this autumn. With supply chain signals suggesting Apple may be pushing at least one major product into 2027, we cannot say with guarantee now whether the iPhone 18 will launch this year or the iPhone Ultra.
A middle-ground scenario is also possible. Apple could preview the foldable device this September and release it months later, similar to how it announced the iPhone X alongside the iPhone 8 series before shipping it at a later date.
Anyone planning to upgrade this year will likely still see new Pro models arrive on schedule. Buyers interested in Apple’s foldable phone, however, may need to prepare for a longer wait. Despite the uncertainty, analysts remain optimistic about Apple’s foldable ambitions, with some forecasts predicting shipments of around 11 million units in the device’s first year whenever it eventually launches. While Apple’s silence is typical, the supplier comments lend significant weight to the rumours, suggesting a shift could be underway.
If the reports are accurate, the split launch could help Apple better differentiate its premium and mainstream iPhones, giving the Pro models more room to shine during the crucial holiday season. It may also ease manufacturing pressures as Apple expands its lineup and prepares to enter the foldable market, where the company is widely expected to prioritise refinement and reliability over being first to market.
