Apple prepares iPhone 18 production with split-launch strategy

Apple is said to be moving steadily toward the production phase of its next flagship smartphone lineup. According to a recent update shared by a well-known tipster on China-based social platform Weibo, the company is preparing to kick off early manufacturing work for the iPhone 18 series, with signs pointing toward a possible split-launch strategy.

Test production expected to begin in January 2026

The information comes from Fixed Focus Digital, which claims that Apple will begin test production of the iPhone 18 lineup in early January 2026. Full-scale mass production is reportedly planned to start shortly before the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 17, 2026.

Apple will be testing the mass production line for the iPhone 18 series one after the other, which ensures the line is prepared to take on the humongous demand that newer iPhones usually trigger.

Testing production also helps Apple to understand any issues in the manufacturing process and take corrective measures before mass production begins. This is because a minor fault can cause the launch timeline to tumble, and if not, we could see some models in the market later than their siblings.

Since you already waited a year (starting now) for an iPhone 18 Pro, and it got reportedly delayed, you could be waiting for some more time, even though the phone was launched officially, given the prior disruption in supply. 

In any case, we can’t expect many cosmetic changes cosmetically on the iPhone 18 Pro models. Perhaps the chipset and a few other specs would change, but not the overall design language. However, this isn’t surprising since Apple typically updates the designs of new iPhones every two years or so.

Apple may break from its usual September launch pattern

Typically, Apple releases all four iPhones simultaneously at the big Apple event sometime in September. The pattern is usually the same, and thus, it is easier than guesswork, although there have been exceptions. 

With the iPhone 18 series launching this year, we could see Apple pulling off those exceptions. It is likely to enter a split-launch plan wherein we could see the iPhone 18 line up during the September 2026 launch; however, the iPhone Fold could arrive sometime later. There have been reports suggesting the Fold is delayed to 2027, although we still have almost nine months before things could actually turn out to be true or not.

A fuzzy timeline up for grabs

Based on the aforementioned inputs, we have a sort of fuzzy timeline for the iPhone 18 series. For instance, the iPhone 18 production testing begins in early January 2026. As we enter February, the mass production is slated to begin right before the Chinese New Year, which happens to fall on February 17, 2026.

Apple is allegedly already setting up the iPhone 18 Pro production line that will start churning out units along the Chinese New Year. We have September 2026 locked in as the Apple iPhone 18 Series launch, as evident by previous iPhone launches, unless the Cupertino giant chooses otherwise. Moreover, the first foldable iPhone is expected around 2026 as well, possibly with the iPhone 18 series, although take it with a pinch of salt.