Apple Reportedly Planning Large iPhone 18 Production Run

Apple is reportedly preparing a substantial production run for the standard iPhone 18, with manufacturing said to start in late November and inventory described as "quite large." The iPhone 17's success as the world's best-selling smartphone has likely given Apple confidence in demand.

• iPhone 18 production is said to start in late November 2026
• iPhone 17 accounted for 6% of global smartphone sales in each of two quarters of 2026
• Expected upgrades include the A20 chip, C2 modem and a smaller Dynamic Island
• Launch expected alongside iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 in spring 2027