Apple plans to adopt a new staggered release strategy for iPhones: high-end models will be released in the fall, and standard versions will be moved to the following spring.

On November 17th, Mark Gurman, a senior analyst at Apple, revealed that starting from the iPhone 18 series, Apple will completely change its decade - long "autumn new product launch" model and officially shift to a "two - season launch" pattern twice a year.

According to the new plan, high - end models (including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the rumored foldable iPhone) will continue to be launched in the autumn of 2026 to target the high - end market during the holiday shopping season. The more affordable iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and the possibly updated iPhone Air will be moved to the spring of 2027 for release.

Gurman expects that this "high - end in autumn, affordable in spring" model will continue for several years. Apple will launch five to six new models each year to cope with the increasingly fierce market competition.

Why does Apple choose to break the decade - long tradition at this time? Gurman analyzed that concentrating all new iPhone launches in the autumn release window "has ultimately become a burden." This model not only makes it difficult for Apple to distribute its revenue evenly throughout the year but also places great pressure on the marketing and engineering teams and overloads the supply chain.

The unsuccessful promotion of Apple Intelligence in 2024 and the delayed release of the improved Siri voice assistant have highlighted the pain points of the current release plan.

The new release plan aims to distribute revenue more evenly throughout the year, relieve the pressure on employees and manufacturing partners, and prevent the high - end and entry - level models from affecting each other in marketing. At the same time, this adjustment will also provide Apple with more opportunities to respond to the new product launches of competitors such as Samsung Electronics, which has long spread the launches of its Galaxy and foldable devices across different seasons.

The adjustment of Apple's release strategy is accompanied by significant changes in its product line. The company plans to launch three brand - new iPhone models in the next three years, including the first foldable iPhone in the autumn of next year and a high - end model with a curved glass screen and a hidden camera in 2027.

Regarding the iPhone Air series, Gurman clarified the relevant rumors. He said that the delay of the second - generation iPhone Air was not due to poor sales. In fact, "it was not clearly planned for release next year." Apple's decision to name it "iPhone Air" instead of "iPhone 17 Air" itself indicates that the company does not want to tie the product to the annual release cycle.

Image: Apple iPhone Air

Gurman revealed that the main upgrade of the second - generation Air will focus on a more efficient 2 - nanometer processor, which is expected to improve the battery life of the first - generation product. Regarding the rumor of adding a second rear - facing camera, he thinks this idea is a bit strange because the camera module area of the phone is already quite crowded, and the ultra - wide - angle camera is "the least used camera on the iPhone." The only reasonable scenario is that the dual - rear - camera design of the foldable iPhone is eventually applied to the standard models.

From a strategic perspective, the iPhone Air is essentially a "technology experiment" by Apple and a transitional product to the foldable iPhone. It will use many of the same materials, miniaturization technologies, internal components, battery, and software optimizations as future foldable phones, aiming to "polish Apple's supply chain" rather than just getting users used to thinner devices.

It is reported that Apple's sales expectations for the iPhone Air were relatively conservative from the start, expecting it to account for 6% to 8% of the total sales of new iPhones, which is comparable to the performance of the iPhone 16 Plus it replaced.

This series of changes indicates that Apple is seeking a more stable market performance while maintaining its technological innovation through a more flexible product strategy and release rhythm. In the new competitive environment, Apple is trying to maintain its leading position in the high - end market through changes and more accurately grasp the needs of various market segments.

This article is from "Tencent Technology". Compiled by Jin Lu, edited by Zheng Mengmeng, and published by 36Kr with authorization.