Apple is reportedly set to unveil its first foldable iPhone this year, while a redesigned 20th anniversary iPhone and camera-equipped AI AirPods are currently said to be targeted for a late 2027 launch.
Apple is working on a major lineup of new products over the next two years, including its first foldable iPhone, a redesigned iPhone to mark the product’s 20th anniversary and camera-equipped AirPods focused on artificial intelligence (AI), according to a Bloomberg report. The company is also developing a new generation of chips to power these devices.
The report said Apple is planning what could be its biggest wave of product launches yet. The devices are expected to arrive during the first full year of Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, who takes over the role on September 1.
Some reports claim that this year’s iPhone is could be an unusually pricey affair for the buyers with Apple mulling to increase prices owing to increasing memory and storage chip costs.
iPhone 18 Pro launch date
Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone in September 2026, the month the company usually launches its flagship phone for the year. Considering the launch date of the previous years, the iPhone 18 release could happen in the first half of September.
Apple’s 2025 iPhone 17 lineup and 2024 iPhone 16 lineup were unveiled on September 9 those years. In 2023, Apple launched iPhone 15 lineup on September 12.
Meanwhile, the iPhone model to mark 20 years of Apple is expected to feature a nearly edge-to-edge display with curved glass wrapping around the sides.
The anniversary models, code-named V73 and V74, are expected to succeed this year’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max while retaining similar screen sizes. Both the anniversary iPhones and the second-generation foldable model are expected to run on Apple’s 2-nanometer A21 chip, internally dubbed Naxos.
Apple is also expected to continue updating its Pro iPhone lineup every autumn. However, the standard iPhone 18 is reportedly being pushed to 2027, creating a gap of more than a year and a half between updates.
Foldable iPhone plans
Apple’s entry into the foldable smartphone market is expected to begin with the first-generation foldable iPhone in September 2026. The company is then planning to follow it up with a second-generation version, code-named V78, in late 2027, signalling that foldable devices could become an annually updated product category, Bloomberg reported in June.
The first foldable iPhone, along with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, is expected to use Apple’s A20 Pro processor, code-named Borneo.
AI AirPods and future devices
Apple is also preparing camera-equipped AirPods that are designed to become the company’s first AI-focused wearable product. Instead of capturing photos or videos, the cameras are expected to act as sensors that provide visual context to Siri.
The aim is to allow users to ask Siri questions about objects and their surroundings. For example, someone looking at a collection of ingredients could ask what meal they can prepare.
The AirPods, code-named B798, were originally planned for release in 2026 but were delayed partly because of Apple’s struggles with AI software and the need to develop visual AI models capable of recognising objects.
The earbuds are expected to resemble current AirPods Pro models but will include cameras embedded in the stems, along with external lights to indicate when data is being sent to the cloud for processing.
Apple is also exploring AI-powered smart glasses, code-named N50, which could launch as early as late 2027 to compete with Meta’s offerings. The company is also considering an AI-enabled pendant with a camera that could be worn as a necklace or attached to clothing.
The report added that Apple is preparing a new generation of processors for future devices. While the A21 chips are expected to be built using a 2-nanometer process, the high-end iPhones arriving in 2028 are planned to feature the A22 Pro processor manufactured using 1.4-nanometer technology. Apple is expected to work primarily with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. for production, while also considering Intel Corp. for some manufacturing.
