Archive · 11 Aug 2026
iPhone 18 Pro Max Launch: No Standard iPhone This September
Apple makes new iPhones almost every September, like a big birthday for phones.
This year, something new and unusual is happening.
Apple will not sell a regular, cheaper iPhone in September — only fancy Pro phones and a folding phone.
The star of the show will be the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
It will have the biggest battery Apple has ever put in an iPhone, so it can last much longer between charges.
It will also have a special camera that can open its eye wider to take brighter pictures in the dark.
Inside the phone is a brand-new chip that makes it faster and uses less power.
Making the parts got very expensive this year, so the phone will probably cost more.
People who want a regular iPhone will have to wait until spring next year.
Apple's September 2026 lineup will reportedly include only the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and Apple's first foldable — no standard iPhone, a first since 2007.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be unveiled at a keynote on 9 September 2026, with pre-orders on 11 or 12 September and availability from 18 September.
Chinese regulatory filings point to a 5,567mAh eSIM battery — about 9.4 percent more than the 5,088mAh in the iPhone 17 Pro Max — and it could exceed 240g to become the heaviest iPhone ever.
It is expected to debut a variable aperture main camera, a wider telephoto aperture, a 2nm A20 Pro chip and Apple's C2 modem with mmWave 5G support.
US price forecasts for the 256GB model range from an unchanged $1,199 to $1,449–$1,499, while India pricing scenarios run from ₹1,49,900 to ₹1,79,900.
- Who
- Apple
- What
- Unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro Max — with Apple's largest iPhone battery, a first variable aperture camera and a 2nm A20 Pro chip — without launching a standard iPhone
- When
- Keynote expected 9 September 2026; phones expected in stores by 18 September 2026
- Where
- Apple's September launch event (venue not specified); the report centers on US pricing and the Indian market
- Why
- Apple moved the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air to spring 2027 and made the Pro Max a major generational upgrade amid sharply higher component costs
- Expected keynote
- Wednesday, 9 September 2026
- Expected availability
- Pre-orders 11 or 12 September; on sale 18 September 2026
- Battery (eSIM model)
- 5,567mAh, about 9.4% more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Chip
- A20 Pro on TSMC's 2nm process
- Camera
- First iPhone variable aperture main camera; wider telephoto aperture
- Modem
- Apple C2 with mmWave 5G support
- US price forecast (256GB)
- $1,199 (unchanged) to $1,449–$1,499
- Expected colours
- Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Dark Gray, Silver