[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee (이윤서)] Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhones in September: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone Ultra.

According to IT media outlet 9to5Mac on Aug. 13 (local time), this fall’s iPhone lineup is likely to be centred on premium products, including Pro models and a first foldable iPhone, without a base model.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are being prepared as successors to the iPhone 17 Pro series. They are expected to feature the A20 Pro chip and improved camera performance, focused on the main camera. The Dynamic Island is set to be about 35 percent smaller than before, and burgundy is the leading candidate for a new colour.

Battery performance is also expected to improve. In particular, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to see a sharp increase in usage time compared with the previous model. It could also include a revamped camera control function, Apple’s in-house C2 cellular modem and a new 5G-based satellite feature.

The biggest focus is on the iPhone Ultra, cited as Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Its price is expected to exceed $2,000, aligning with earlier analysis that Apple could build a new ultra-high-priced product line above its existing iPhone lineup.

The iPhone Ultra is a foldable that opens and closes like a book. Its external display is said to be about 5.4 inches, and its internal display about 7.8 inches.

Materials and design are expected to be similar to the iPhone Air. A thin form with a titanium frame is expected, and the camera setup is being discussed as two on the back and two on the front. For biometric authentication, it is expected to adopt Touch ID instead of Face ID.

Software is also seen as a key part of the foldable strategy. iOS 27 is expected to support multitasking that splits the screen to use multiple apps, and a flexible landscape layout, offering a user experience tailored to the new form factor. Performance is expected to be similar to the iPhone 18 Pro, sharing the A20 Pro chip and C2 modem, and it could also include a cooling vapour chamber to manage heat.

By contrast, a new base model that is usually unveiled together in September could be omitted from this lineup. Apple is reported to be considering pushing back the launch of the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 to early 2027. It is not known whether such a change reflects a strategic decision or is due to a memory crisis.

If the base and Air models are removed, sales of new iPhones this fall are likely to naturally concentrate on higher-priced products. If the first foldable iPhone is also added, it could be interpreted as a shift in which Apple puts more weight on targeting premium demand than on its existing broad price-range strategy.

As a result, the September announcement is expected to be a stage for confirming changes in Apple’s iPhone lineup strategy. If the iPhone Ultra actually appears along with performance and camera enhancements for the Pro models, Apple will reorganise its iPhone lineup around the premium market this fall.