Apple skips the base iPhone 18 at its fall launch event

<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="The successor to the iPhone 17 isn’t arriving this fall. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge" data-portal-copyright="Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/257946_iPhone_17_AKrales_0063.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> The successor to the iPhone 17 isn’t arriving this fall. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Apple is taking the unusual step of skipping the base iPhone 18 this fall. At its "surprise and shine" event today, the company revealed the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/986331/apple-iphone-18-pro-max-september-2026-event">iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max</a>, alongside a new <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/991203/iphone-duo-foldable-news-specs-price-release-date">foldable iPhone Duo</a>. But the base iPhone 18 was a no-show. Rumors had suggested Apple would only launch premium iPhones this fall, with the base model slipping to next spring.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Memory and chip shortages likely contributed to the delay, putting pressure on pricing and forcing Apple to prioritize higher-priced iPhone models that have larger profit margins. Both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are $100 more this year than the previous models.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A new iPhone Air and m …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/991130/apple-skips-iphone-18-fall-2026-release">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>