From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

*A total of five iPhone models will be added to Apple's family in 2026*
<https://wccftech.com/base-iphone-18-getting-phased-out-apple-introducing-shake-up-next-year/>

1. Apple will discontinue the standard iPhone 18 model, where the
strategic goal is likely to remove choices in the model line
(mainly to push customers toward higher priced options).

2. Foldable iPhone expected to debut with a high price tag
between $2,000 and $2,500.

3. Lower-cost iPhone 17e expected to launch earlier in the year as a
successor to the iPhone 16e - but at a more realistic cost.

2026 iPhone Lineup
iPhone 17 => lower cost
iPhone 17e => lower cost
iPhone 18 Air => replaces the current "Plus" variant
iPhone 18 Pro => intended to be a lower-cost flagship
iPhone 18 Pro Max = also an intended Apple flagship
Foldable iPhone => mere copy of existing Android phones

Note that the foldable copy is likely a response to this:
*Samsung taking market share from Apple in U.S. as foldable phones gain momentum*
<https://www.nbcnews.com/business/media/samsung-taking-market-share-apple-us-foldable-phones-gain-momentum-rcna225435>

Samsung's U.S. market share jumped from 23% to 31% in Q2 2025,
while Apple's dropped from 56% to 49%.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: misc.phone.mobile.iphone

On 2025-08-17 08:01, Marion wrote:

*A total of five iPhone models will be added to Apple's family in 2026*
<https://wccftech.com/base-iphone-18-getting-phased-out-apple-introducing-shake-up-next-year/>

1. Apple will discontinue the standard iPhone 18 model, where the
strategic goal is likely to remove choices in the model line
(mainly to push customers toward higher priced options).

How can Apple "discontinue" a model that doesn't exist?

In fact, since the newest iPhone is the iPhone 16 series, they're two
model numbers away from being in a position to "discontinue" an iPhone 18.

2. Foldable iPhone expected to debut with a high price tag
between $2,000 and $2,500.

3. Lower-cost iPhone 17e expected to launch earlier in the year as a
successor to the iPhone 16e - but at a more realistic cost.

2026 iPhone Lineup
iPhone 17 => lower cost
iPhone 17e => lower cost
iPhone 18 Air => replaces the current "Plus" variant
iPhone 18 Pro => intended to be a lower-cost flagship
iPhone 18 Pro Max = also an intended Apple flagship
Foldable iPhone => mere copy of existing Android phones

Note that the foldable copy is likely a response to this:
*Samsung taking market share from Apple in U.S. as foldable phones gain momentum*
<https://www.nbcnews.com/business/media/samsung-taking-market-share-apple-us-foldable-phones-gain-momentum-rcna225435>

Samsung's U.S. market share jumped from 23% to 31% in Q2 2025,
while Apple's dropped from 56% to 49%.

For it to be "a response" to Samsung's foldable phones implies that
Apple hasn't been working on their own foldable screens all along...

...which any normal adult would recognize as nonsense.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2