Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 lineup in September, and the next wave may also include a folding iPhone after years of rumors. The foldable device may be called the iPhone Ultra, according to industry chatter tied to the company’s coming product cycle.
The timing is why the new iPhone 18 is drawing so much attention now. Hints in the new iOS 27 beta software point toward the lineup, and the expected September window means Apple’s next iPhone event is close enough to be shaping buying plans, supplier forecasts and the usual flood of leak-driven speculation.
One reason the story has gained weight is that a broader launch is now being sketched out beyond the September event. Nikkei reports that Apple plans to launch at least five new iPhone models between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, a schedule that lines up with expectations for a foldable joining updated versions of the four models already in Apple’s line. That does not mean every device is settled, but it does show the next iPhone cycle is being framed as more than a single annual refresh.
The foldable side of the story is where the clean narrative gets messy. Apple has already started ramping up production of its foldable iPhone, according to Nikkei, and suppliers have been told to prepare to produce 10 million foldables this year. But that figure does not tell readers whether the target is meant for launch inventory or total output over the full year, and the rest of the rollout is still described through rumors, leaks and supply-chain reports rather than an Apple announcement.
That gap matters because it leaves the September launch as the only hard marker in a story built around a much larger transition. The iPhone 18 cycle now looks like the opening move in a broader Apple shift that could bring a foldable into the line, but the exact mix of models is still not fully visible. For now, September is the date to watch, and the unanswered question is how much of the company’s next iPhone lineup will be shown at once.
