iPhone 18 Series Launch Date Reportedly Surfaces as IDC Predicts Major Price Increase

The iPhone 18 series is expected to be launched in September. While the Cupertino-based tech giant has yet to announce a launch date for its next-generation flagship smartphones, a seasoned journalist believes they could debut in the second week of September. Apple's 2026 iPhone lineup is rumoured to include the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the first foldable iPhone, widely known as the iPhone Ultra. Separately, a new prediction from a market research firm suggests the upcoming Pro models could become significantly more expensive than their predecessors, in line with Apple's recent price hikes.

iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Ultra Launch Timeline

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple's iPhone launch events typically take place on the first Tuesday or Wednesday in September, following the Labor Day holiday in the US. The journalist believes this schedule provides the tech giant with sufficient time to begin sales by mid-September, recognise revenue before the end of the quarter, and stock retail channels ahead of the holiday shopping season.

Per Gurman, September 8 could be the most likely date for the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside the iPhone Ultra. This year, Labor Day will be held on September 7 in the US, which means September 9 could also be a probable option for the launch event. Doing so would reporetdly provide an additional travel day before the showcase.

Apple, notably, followed a similar timeline in 2025 when it launched the iPhone 17 series on September 9.

iPhone 18 Series Price Tipped

Alongside the launch date, speculation about the anticipated pricing of the iPhone 18 lineup continues. In recent weeks, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that Apple has been attempting to shield customers from rising component costs, but it wasn't feasible to absorb those increases in the future. Subsequently, the company revised prices of its devices across categories, including Mac computers, MacBook, iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. Apple, however, has yet to increase the prices of iPhones in India or the global markets.

Market research firm IDC has now issued a fresh prediction regarding the pricing of Apple's iPhone 18 lineup (via MacRumors). The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to receive price hikes of up to $200 (roughly Rs. 18,800) over the current models.

If the forecast turns out to be accurate, then the iPhone 18 Pro may start between $1,249 (roughly Rs. 1.18 lakh) and $1,299 (roughly Rs. 1.23 lakh), while the iPhone 18 Pro Max may be priced between $1,349 (roughly Rs. 1.28 lakh) and $1,399 (roughly Rs. 1.32 lakh). As per the research firm, Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price of around $2,500 (roughly Rs. 2.36 lakh), while higher storage variants could reportedly cost as much as $3,000 (roughly Rs. 2.83 lakh).

Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal examined how similar component price increases could affect future iPhone pricing. Citing estimates from TechInsights, the publication reported that DRAM costs for a base iPhone 18 Pro could rise from approximately $39 (roughly Rs. 3,700) to $145 (roughly Rs. 13,700), while storage costs could increase from around $13 (roughly Rs. 1,200) to $51 (roughly Rs. 4,800).

These increases, coupled with higher manufacturing and component costs, could push the production cost of the base iPhone 18 Pro up by nearly 25 percent compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple may reportedly increase the handset's starting price from $1,099 (roughly Rs. 1.04 lakh) to approximately $1,299 (roughly Rs. 1.23 lakh) to offset these expenses.