Apple’s iPhone launch shake-up could make life harder for Android rivals

Apple is reportedly planning to do away with its long-standing tradition of launching all its latest iPhone models every September. According to The Information, the company is preparing a major shift in its iPhone launch strategy, one that could have a ripple effect across the entire smartphone industry.

Starting next year, Apple will reportedly stagger its iPhone releases. Instead of unveiling the entire lineup at once, it will launch only the premium iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models in the fall. The standard iPhone 18 will reportedly not arrive until the following spring, when the company is also expected to release a successor to the more affordable iPhone 16e. Meanwhile, Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone is also expected to debut next year alongside the Pro models.

If true, this change in Apple’s iPhone release cycle could bring about big changes in the Android world. Samsung, Google, and other Android brands often time their flagship launches around or in response to Apple’s September event. A split iPhone release could force Android makers to rethink their launch strategies, potentially shifting their own release windows to avoid getting overshadowed by Apple or to better compete with its staggered hype cycle.

Also, Apple stretching its iPhone launch across two seasons could keep the company’s devices in the spotlight much longer than usual, potentially pressuring Android brands to release mid-cycle refreshes to match Apple’s spring launches. Essentially, Apple’s new iPhone release strategy may not just reshape its own product cycle, but it could shift the entire smartphone launch calendar.