iPhone 18 lineup could see the return of model everyone thought was gone
Fans of phones on the larger side might want to pay attention to the latest Apple rumors, as reports are suggesting that the next iPhone could bring back an old model that most people thought was gone for good.
Across the nearly two decades since the first iPhone was released, there have been plenty of different versions.
Still, Apple has broadly thinned down the lineup to just a few select options with their own niches.
Alongside the standard 'base' iPhone, you have the thinner (albeit not that popular) iPhone Air, the more powerful iPhone Pro, and its larger Pro Max sibling.
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There’s also the recently announced iPhone 17e, which offers the Apple smartphone experience within a cheaper package.
Anyone who has been within the Apple ecosystem for several years will remember the days when the company offered smaller and larger variants of the base version. They were seemingly discontinued in 2021 and 2023, respectively, due to insufficient demand.
Of course, anyone looking for a bigger phone still has the option of the Pro and the Pro Max – which is part of why they remain so popular beyond the boosted specs – but many lament the option for an increased size within a more affordable price range.
This could soon change, as reports from MacRumors suggest that Apple could be bringing back one of these discontinued forms alongside the iPhone 18 when it launches. That’s despite many believing that the dream was dead.
It all comes from a research note for investment bank Barclays, in which Apple analyst Tim Long notes that not only will the base iPhone 18 receive a later-than-usual launch due to supply chain issues, but that it will potentially arrive with a larger 'Plus' variant.
Apple's plans appear to involve the release of two additional devices alongside the base iPhone 18, with one seemingly guaranteed to be the latest budget iPhone 18e, whereas the other remains unconfirmed.
It could either be a sequel to the iPhone Air or the aforementioned iPhone 18 Plus, representing two different directions for the company that could divide opinion among the user base.
Poor sales comparatively for the iPhone Air might discourage Apple from launching an updated version, opting instead to test the waters with the Plus to see if it could prove to be a long-term option once again.
We will all have to wait and see, but as Long notes, the base model won't launch until roughly March 2027, marking a significant departure from the standard annual September reveal and launch cycle.
Fans will still be able to pick up an iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max at the usual time, alongside shipments of the new foldable iPhone expected to start around December — although don't expect either to be cheap.