iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e Reportedly Set to Launch Early Next Year

iOS
1

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to expand its lineup again in early next year with two additional models:

:mobile_phone: What’s coming

1. Updated iPhone Air

  • A refreshed version of the newer “Air” model

  • Expected to continue Apple’s push toward ultra-thin, lightweight design

  • Likely to refine the concept introduced with the first Air (which traded some features for slimness)

2. New iPhone 18e

  • A lower-cost entry in the iPhone 18 lineup

  • Positioned as a successor to Apple’s more affordable models (like SE or “e”-style devices)

  • Designed to broaden Apple’s reach in more price-sensitive segments

:brain: Bigger strategy behind this

If this roadmap holds, Apple’s lineup is becoming more segmented than ever:

  • Ultra-premium: Foldable / “Ultra” iPhone

  • High-end: Pro & Pro Max

  • Mid-tier: Air

  • Entry-level: “e” models

This mirrors what Apple has done with:

  • Mac lineup (Air vs Pro vs Ultra chips)

  • iPad lineup (standard vs Air vs Pro)

:date: Timing

  • Expected launch window: early 2027 (likely spring)

  • This follows Apple’s newer pattern of:

    • Major flagships in fall

    • Secondary or lower-cost models in spring

:pushpin: What to watch

  • Whether the Air line becomes a long-term replacement for “Plus” models

  • How aggressive Apple gets with pricing on the “e” model

  • Whether features from Pro models trickle down faster into Air

If you want, I can map out Apple’s full expected iPhone lineup for the next 12–18 months so you can see how all these models fit together.

image
image800×450 36.5 KB

:date: Apple’s rumored split iPhone launch strategy

Apple is increasingly moving away from a single annual launch toward two release windows per year:

:fallen_leaf: Fall 2026 (flagship tier)

  • iPhone 18 Pro

  • iPhone 18 Pro Max

  • iPhone Ultra (foldable model)

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Focus: cutting-edge features, premium pricing

:cherry_blossom: Spring 2027 (mainstream + experimental tier)

  • iPhone 18

  • iPhone 18e (budget option)

  • iPhone Air 2 (thin/light model)

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Likely announcement window: March or April 2027

:brain: What’s notable about this shift

This is a big structural change:

  • The standard iPhone (iPhone 18) is no longer launching with Pro models

  • Apple is separating:

    • Premium innovation (fall)

    • Mass-market + experimental designs (spring)

This gives Apple:

  • More marketing cycles per year

  • Better supply chain distribution

  • Flexibility to test new form factors (like Air)

:mobile_phone: Expected specs direction (early rumors)

  • iPhone 18 & iPhone 18e

    • Likely A20 chip

    • Minimal upgrades beyond performance

  • iPhone Air 2

    • A20 chip

    • Second rear camera (upgrade from single lens)

    • Larger battery

    • Vapor chamber cooling (from Pro models)

:warning: The Air experiment

Even though the current iPhone Air reportedly hasn’t sold strongly:

  • Apple is still planning Air 2

  • There are even early rumors of a future Air 3

That suggests Apple is:

  • Committed to the ultra-thin category

  • Willing to iterate despite weak first-gen demand (similar to past Apple strategies)

:pushpin: Big picture

If this roadmap holds, Apple’s iPhone lineup becomes:

  • Ultra / Foldable: bleeding-edge, ultra-expensive

  • Pro models: high-end flagships (fall)

  • Standard model: delayed to spring

  • Air: design-focused experimental tier

  • “e” model: entry-level option

This is the most segmented and staggered iPhone strategy Apple has ever attempted.