Apple distributes the release of the iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max at intervals. As a result, it is now reported that total iPhone 18 series shipments for 2026 are set to decline by 20%. However, the financial impact of the decline in shipments is expected to remain minimal.
After years of releasing new iPhone models in the second half of the year, Apple is reportedly adopting a new release schedule for the iPhone 18 series. The company is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold in the second half of 2026, while it will postpone the base version of the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 to the first half of 2027. However, it is now rumored that this release schedule will affect the overall iPhone 18 shipments in 2026.
According to a report from Korea, Apple is expected to ship 20% fewer units of the iPhone 18 series in 2026 than in 2025. This is primarily due to the Cupertino company delaying the launch of the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 to the first half of 2027, which account for about 30% of the total volume. As such, Korean component makers, including Samsung and LG, are set to take a minor financial hit.
Samsung is reportedly producing 60 million OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone. LG is scheduled to produce 40 million OLED panels alone in 2026 for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Samsung is the only company that manufactures OLED screens for the foldable iPhone. This represents a 20% decline compared to 2025, when Samsung and LG produced 80 million and 45 million panels, respectively.
However, since the higher-priced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be released as scheduled, the revenue impact of lower iPhone shipments in 2026 is said to be minimal. The launch of the iPhone Fold also helps in this situation.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will bring a few major upgrades
When the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launch in the second half of 2026, the phones are expected to bring only a few major hardware improvements. It is reported that the main hardware upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro / 18 Pro Max are the new A20 system, a 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture, and a smaller Dynamic Island.
Fortunately, there are high chances that Apple will keep the price of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as it is, prioritizing sales volume over pure profit. The consumer technology market is currently suffering due to rising prices of DRAM and storage space. Everything from desktop GPUs and TVs to laptops is set to become more expensive in the coming months.
Therefore, it will be a huge victory for consumers if Apple actually decides to cut profit margins to keep the prices of the base version of the iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max unchanged.
