Analyst: Foldable iPhone Likely to Ship in December, iPhone 18 Plus is Possible Next Year

Thursday March 19, 2026 12:27 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

In a research note for investment bank Barclays earlier this month, Apple analyst Tim Long said his supply chain sources mentioned the possibility of the iPhone 18 base model being announced in March next year, rather than in September this year. This split launch has been widely rumored by multiple sources in recent months.

More interestingly, Long dropped two unique pieces of information.

First, he said shipments of the rumored foldable iPhone will likely begin in December this year, a few months after the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launch in the usual September timeframe. A similar situation occurred in 2017, with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launching in September, and the iPhone X launching in November.

Second, Long said that Apple plans to release two other devices alongside the iPhone 18 base model in March next year, including a lower-end iPhone 18e and either an iPhone 18 Plus or an iPhone Air 2. Long mentioning the possibility of an iPhone 18 Plus is notable, as we have not heard any other rumors about such a device.

It is unclear if Long mentioning the possibility of an iPhone 18 Plus is simply spitballing, or if it is information that he received from his supply chain contacts. There have been multiple reports about a revamped iPhone Air being in the works for next year, so an iPhone 18 Plus seems quite unlikely for now, but we shall see what happens.

Apple offered an iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 15 Plus, and an iPhone 16 Plus, but it opted to release the iPhone Air instead of an iPhone 17 Plus last year.

Apple does not break down its iPhone sales on a model-by-model basis, but various reports and research firms have indicated that both the Plus and Air have been unpopular relative to other iPhone models over the years. The return of a Plus model does not seem entirely out of the realm of possibility, if the Air has sold even worse than the Plus, and there is still a chance that the Air model was a one-off release. But, if an iPhone 18 Plus was truly coming next March, we probably would have heard more rumors about it by now.

This is the first time we have heard these claims, so treat them with some skepticism for now.

Related Roundups: iPhone 18, iPhone Air, iPhone Duo

Tags: Barclays, Foldable iPhone Guide, Tim Long

Buyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Neutral), iPhone Duo (Buy Now)

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

MacMediaNet

8 months ago

Why foldable iPhone? Apple, bring back iPhone mini.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

verdi1987

8 months ago

Can't beet the Pro, Pro Max is too big, Plus is too expensive and a foldable will go the way of the Air. Apple would do better to stop trying to gain market share through diversity and concentrate on one phone, make it better , make it lighter and thinner but above all make it cheaper

The Galaxy Fold does well. Why do you foresee a foldable iPhone not doing well?

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

hieranonymous

8 months ago

The iPhone Air is beautifully engineered but it doesn’t really have a compelling use case. The thinness doesn’t lend itself to better “pocketability” since the screen is still comparatively large. Plus it has fewer cameras and worse battery life.

Now if Apple repositioned the Air as the new Mini, and slapped a silicon carbide battery in there, that might be compelling to some users.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mrat93

8 months ago

As a former iPhone 12 mini owner who still loathes the size of their 15 Pro after 2.5 years, I’m really unsure when I’ll be getting a new phone. The foldable is compelling but it also might have too many compromises (too wide, plastic inner screen) that make it not worth it for me.

Based on current rumors, the ‘e’ line might get 120hz with the 19 series phones in 2028. If that has a 6.1” screen, that will probably be my next phone — and this is after owning all (but one) generations from the original iPhone in 2007, to the 15 Pro. If the 19e with 120hz ups the size to 6.3”, I’ll probably keep my 15 Pro for as long as feasibly possible.

I stand firm that the mini line wasn’t discontinued due to “low sales” but that it would take away from sales of more expensive iPhones. If they brought back the mini line, I’d likely go back to upgrading every year.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

subjonas

8 months ago

The iPhone Air is beautifully engineered but it doesn’t really have a compelling use case. The thinness doesn’t lend itself to better “pocketability” since the screen is still comparatively large.

The thinness and lightness make it much more pocketable than the other iPhones, despite the large screen. It's surprisingly comparable to my SE1 in terms of not feeling the bulk and the ease of slipping it in my pocket (even wearing slim fit jeans), likely due to the extra thinness canceling out the extra screen. I think SE1 still wins out, but it's close. But the Air might even be better than my SE1 in terms of not showing an obvious outline of my phone in my pocket, due to the extra thinness and the less sharp edges. That goofy-looking outline of a phone in my pocket always annoys me. Especially because the edges wear on the fabric and leaves a permanent outline even when my phone isn't in my pocket! So any reduction of the outline is appreciated.

And of course, the light weight in hand is the other compelling use case. I hate holding the Pros for more than a moment. I haven't given the standard 17 a try, but while I'm sure it's much better than the Pros, I've grown to like the light weight of my Air so much that I don't want it to be even an ounce heavier!

Of course, one-handed usage is where the SE1/Mini triumphs, and the Air isn't much better than the other large-screen iPhones in that regard. With bigger screen phones, even the Air, a phone grip accessory is required, but those add hassle.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

JPack

8 months ago

You look at what made the iPhone 17 a success, it’s simple. If you apply the same formula (base 256GB, ProMotion, display size matching Pro Max) to 18 Plus, don’t see how it could fail. Previous versions of Plus were always handicapped in some way, whether processor or display.

Air 2 will likely fail regardless. Apple can’t drop the price because it would put a price ceiling on iPhone 18. Even if Air 2 gets a second camera, the battery is still crippled (relative to the rest of the 18 lineup). Most customers will opt $100 more for 18 Pro.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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Analyst: Foldable iPhone Likely to Ship in December, iPhone 18 Plus is Possible Next Year

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