Celebrating 20th Anniversary with a Major Naming and Launch Strategy Shift
Apple, which recently launched its iPhone 17 series, including the super-slim iPhone Air, last month in global markets, is reportedly planning a significant shift in its iPhone naming and launch strategy. A new report indicates that Apple will skip the iPhone 19 and directly introduce the iPhone 20 in 2027. This move is expected to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the first iPhone, launched in 2007.
Hee Moo Yeol, a Senior Researcher at Omdia, revealed in a conference that Apple intends to launch its devices twice a year. According to this plan, the first half of 2027 will see the launch of the iPhone 18e and iPhone 20. Following this, the iPhone 20 Air, iPhone 20 Pro, iPhone 20 Pro Max, and the iPhone Fold 2 are expected to be unveiled in the second half of the year.
This new report suggests a major departure from Apple’s long-standing tradition of launching iPhones primarily in September. Omdia believes that Apple will remove the standard iPhone model from the iPhone 18 series in 2026. During this period, the company will only introduce the iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone. This strategic shift is projected to cause a decrease of 20 million units in iPhone display demand in 2026, though it is expected to recover after the expansion of the iPhone 20 lineup in 2027.
It’s worth noting that Apple has previously skipped iPhone names. In 2017, the company introduced the iPhone X to mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, simultaneously ushering in the era of OLED displays. At that time, the iPhone 9 name was also skipped. Similarly, with this change in Apple’s strategy, there is a strong possibility of skipping the iPhone 19 and moving directly to the iPhone 20.
Key Highlights:
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Apple will remove the standard iPhone model from the iPhone 18 series in 2026.
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Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 20 Air in 2027.
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Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 20 Pro Max in 2027.
