Apple may be set to skip the iPhone 19 and instead launch the iPhone 20 in 2027.

The move would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone, mirroring a similar strategy in 2017 when Apple jumped from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X to mark its 10-year milestone.

Research firm Omdia, citing senior analyst Heo Moo-yeol, suggests Apple could shake up its traditional release cycle as well.

Instead of unveiling a standard iPhone 18 in 2026, Apple may focus on higher-end models, including an iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro and the long-rumoured first-generation foldable iPhone.

According to the report, 2027 could see a staggered rollout.

In the first half of the year, Apple may release the iPhone 18e and a standard iPhone 18, while the second half could bring the iPhone 20 lineup: iPhone 20 Air, iPhone 20 Pro, iPhone 20 Pro Max and a second-generation foldable iPhone.

This strategy could reflect a broader effort to modernise Apple’s naming conventions.

Analyst speculation also points to a potential shift towards biannual launches, spreading sales more evenly across the year rather than concentrating them around the traditional September release.

Apple has experimented with non-linear naming before, from skipping iPhone 9 for the iPhone X, to aligning iOS version numbers with the year.

Some analysts now suggest it may be time to drop numbers entirely for iPhones, following the naming conventions of Macs and iPads, which use model names rather than sequential numbers.

While these plans are based on leaks and analyst predictions, they indicate Apple is exploring ways to refresh the iPhone brand and mark major milestones with high-profile launches.

The next hardware event in September 2026 will likely provide the first official glimpse of Apple’s revised strategy.