Apple's biggest launch event of the year is now just a few months away. While the Cupertino giant is yet to announce an official date, a new prediction from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman gives us a likely timeline. According to the veteran Apple analyst, the iPhone 18 Pro series and Apple's first foldable iPhone Ultra could debut in early September 2026.
Here's When Apple Could Launch the iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Ultra
In a recent X post, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicted that Apple is likely to hold its annual iPhone launch event on September 9, 2026. He further elaborated that since Labour Day is on September 7 in the US, Apple might decide to skip September 8 and hold its annual launch event on the day after. If Apple follows its usual launch schedule, pre-orders could begin on September 11, with retail availability likely following a week later.
This falls in line with the iPhone 17 series launch in India, which also happened on September 9, 2025. However, unlike last time, this year, reports suggest that the base iPhone 18 is delayed until 2027. The upcoming launch will most likely focus on the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the first-ever folding iPhone, the iPhone Ultra.
While all three phones are expected to bring major upgrades, the spotlight obviously will shine the brightest on the iPhone Ultra (aka the iPhone Fold). Sporting a passport-like design, it is expected to bring an iPad-like form-factor with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.49-inch outer panel.
This wide form factor is further corroborated by iPhone Fold case designs, which made rounds on the internet recently. The Cupertino brand also plans to use liquid metal for the iPhone Fold hinge. Under the hood, the foldable flagship could be powered by the Apple A20 Pro chipset.
As for the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max, while they are tipped to sport more or less the same design as the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, there could be massive changes under the hood. First, they are said to get new colourways - Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Dark Grey and Silver.
The biggest upgrade could arrive in the form of the iPhone 18 Pro variable aperture camera system, which is said to improve photography versatility. Additionally, leaked iPhone 18 Pro Max dummy units indicate design refinements, such as a smaller Dynamic Island, which is expected to be shrunk by up to 25%.
Other than that, the upcoming Apple iPhones could feature the C2 5G modem and A20 Pro chipset, the same as the iPhone Ultra. However, chances are that the next-generation iPhones will be priced quite exorbitantly. Recently, Apple hiked prices of its products, including Macs, iPads and Home devices, and it is widely believed that iPhones could be next in line.
As per IDC analysts (via MacRumors), the iPhone 18 Pro models could see a price hike of as high as $200 (approximately Rs 19,000). Meanwhile, the foldable iPhone could start from $2,500 (approximately Rs 2,36,000), with higher storage variants pushing the price to a staggering $3,000 (approximately Rs 2,83,500).
