Apple May Omit Base iPhone 18 From September Event Lineup

Apple has scheduled its upcoming hardware showcase for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, with the keynote event titled Surprise and Shine! as detailed by Wired. The presentation will kick off at 10 a.m. Pacific time, corresponding to 1 p.m. Eastern time and 6 p.m. British Summer Time, according to PhoneArena.

Apple Prepares for September 9 Event Amid Product Lineup Shifts

The event will mark the first product launch under John Ternus, who stepped into the role of CEO on September 1, succeeding Tim Cook, as reported by TradingView. Observers and industry analysts anticipate several major device disclosures, though the composition of the product lineup will diverge from previous years.

Expected Lineup and the Missing Base Model

While Apple traditionally reveals a full span of devices from standard configurations to high-end variants during its autumn showcase, reports indicate that the base model iPhone 18 will be omitted from the September stage. According to leaks and analyst expectations cited by Wired, the company intends to prioritize premium devices in September while delaying the release of the cheaper base model until the spring of 2027. This spring release window may also include an iPhone 18e and a potential second-generation iPhone Air.

Apple May Omit Base iPhone 18 From September Event Lineup

Instead of the base handset, the September 9 event is expected to feature the debut of Apple’s first foldable device, frequently referred to as the iPhone Ultra or foldable iPhone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Nabila Popal, a senior director of data and analytics at IDC, noted that launching mid-range and budget devices in the spring allows the company to spread out revenue between strong fourth-quarter sales and typically weaker spring quarters.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro models and the new foldable device are tipped to open on Saturday, September 12, according to PhoneArena. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to take the stage, featuring the new S12 chip within a rounded rectangular case available in 42mm and 46mm sizes.

Memory Shortages and Rising Component Costs

The strategic shift to delay the base model is largely attributed to an ongoing memory shortage that has driven up manufacturing expenses across the technology sector. Taiwanese research firm TrendForce estimates that memory costs for a 256-gigabyte iPhone 18 Pro have surged to nearly 400 percent above where they sat a year prior, driven by a supply-demand imbalance as companies build out data centers with powerful AI servers, as reported by TradingView and MacRumors.

Due to these elevated expenses regarding RAM, storage, and A20 Pro chips, retail price increases for the iPhone 18 Pro models are anticipated. TrendForce projects an overall lineup price increase of 10 percent to 20 percent, with estimates suggesting the iPhone 18 Pro could start between $1,199 and $1,399, and the Pro Max reaching up to $1,499. The foldable iPhone is rumored to carry a starting price between $2,099 and $2,299.

In June, Apple implemented price increases across Macs, iPads, Apple TV, HomePod, HomePod mini, and Vision Pro. Former CEO Tim Cook previously pointed to severe memory pricing pressures as the driver behind these adjustments. To help mitigate high hardware costs for consumers, Apple introduced an iPhone leasing program in July that permits monthly rentals of the newest devices, though the option has drawn criticism from ownership advocates regarding device control and subscription-based hardware trends.