Updated

Updated · PCMag AU · Aug 18

PCMag Launches 5-Question Apple Fall Event Contest Round 3 Before Sept. 1 Deadline

Updated

Updated · PCMag AU · Aug 18

PCMag Launches 5-Question Apple Fall Event Contest Round 3 Before Sept. 1 Deadline

Q: With rumors of a RAM shortage, will Apple's first keynote under CEO John Ternus delay the standard iPhone 18 until 2027?

Probably yes, but it remains unconfirmed. Multiple recent reports point to Apple splitting the iPhone 18 rollout, with the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and a foldable “iPhone Ultra” still expected at the September 2026 keynote, while the standard iPhone 18 could move to spring 2027. That would make John Ternus’s first keynote as CEO a premium-heavy event rather than the usual full iPhone-family launch. The reported driver is supply pressure, especially on DRAM and other memory components. Tim Cook has publicly said Apple faces severe memory cost inflation and that future price increases are unavoidable. Separate reporting says smartphone makers are prioritizing higher-margin devices when components are tight, which fits the idea of Apple allocating scarce memory to Pro models first. What is less clear is whether the delay is directly caused by the RAM shortage alone. Some reports tie memory shortages more clearly to Macs and iPads, while others describe a broader component squeeze affecting smartphones too. Apple itself has not announced any change to the iPhone 18 schedule. So the best evidence suggests the standard iPhone 18 may indeed slip into 2027, but that is still based on leaks and supply-chain reporting, not official confirmation. As of now, the strongest expectation for Ternus’s September keynote is iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Apple Watch updates, and possibly a foldable iPhone, with the base model potentially arriving months later.

3 articles · Updated · PCMag AU · Aug 18

Round 3 of PCMag’s 2026 Apple prediction contest is now open, shifting to the company’s fall event and closing on Sept. 1.
Five questions make up the final round, and each correct answer earns an entry into a drawing for the latest Apple Watch version announced in September.
The contest follows earlier rounds on software and hardware, with cumulative participation and correct picks improving entrants’ odds of winning the grand prize.
Apple’s fall event is expected in the second week of September and will be the first under CEO John Ternus, giving the final round its main focus.
The sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents 18 and older in all 50 states and D.C.; sister Ziff Davis sites are running parallel Apple contests, though entrants can win only one of five grand prizes.