Anything that Apple does is a matter of interest for fans and critics alike, and both sides have been looking at the Cupertino company with interest, wondering what it will get up to next. The iPhone 17 Slim and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to be the most significant releases that Apple will make this year, but for 2026, Apple’s foldable iPhone could finally get a release date. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo to Twitter/X to bring the news of the foldable iPhone, indicating that the company was all set to begin working on its production in the third or fourth quarter of 2025.
Apple’s foldable iPhone has been a long time coming, as the majority of its competitors have already managed to bring a flip or fold smartphone to the market in previous years. As with most key categories, from smart rings to AI, Apple has fallen behind in contributing something to the category for the customers who like running an Apple-exclusive lifestyle. It’s too soon to confirm the exact details regarding iPhone fold’s availability in 2026, but we can dive into the rumors to see what they have to say.
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An Apple Foldable iPhone Could Be Set for a 2026 Release
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo teased the iPhone fold’s release on Twitter/X on Wednesday, stating that Foxconn, an Apple supplier, was expected to officially kick off the project in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of 2025. This could mean that productions would begin around September or November. This would give Apple a year to prepare and release its iPhone Fold with the iPhone 18 lineup of devices next September.
Apple often releases other products throughout the year, but the iPhone has a more regular yearly release schedule and September is the most likely time for a new smartphone reveal.
Kuo Elaborates on a Few Details Regarding the iPhone Fold’s Release
Kuo also explained that some specifics of the iPhone fold were still unfinalized, pointing to the hinge mechanism as an example of a component that needed further work. One aspect that has been finalized is the display made by Samsung Display (SDC), as the manufacturer has begun production for 7-8 million foldable panels to make the 2026 foldable iPhone a reality.
He also wrote that “Apple has placed an order for 15–20 million foldable iPhones,” but the order is not exclusively for 2026 but to reflect the “cumulative demand over the product’s 2–3 year lifecycle.” The iPhone fold’s availability will largely depend on demand because it’s evident that Apple is producing in large numbers and expecting impressive orders to come in despite the premium pricing.
The claims of a premium price don’t come as a surprise, as that would be on-brand for Apple and would also fall in line with Kuo’s previous estimates of a “above $2,000 and $2,500” price tag. We already know the Apple iPhone Fold will cost a pretty penny in 2026.
What Else Do We Know About Apple’s Folding iPhone?
The image that pops into our minds when we think of an iPhone that folds is a flip-style clamshell phenomenon, but rumors suggest that Apple is actually working on a book-type fold, similar to the Google Pixel Fold. Additionally, Kuo has previously noted that Apple’s folding iPhone will feature a 7.8-inch inner display with a 5.5-inch outer display.
When folded, the phone could measure between 9 to 9.5mm, and when unfolded, this can come down to 4.5 to 4.8mm. This would make it thinner than some of its competitors, but not the thinnest on the market. The OPPO Find N5 holds that title, measuring in at 8.93mm when folded, despite its 5600 mAh battery.
The rumors regarding Apple’s foldable iPhone also indicate it will feature a dual rear camera setup and selfie lens on both the inner and outer screens, which is typical for most foldable phones. The device is also expected to use the rumored ultra-thin battery arriving soon on the iPhone 17 Air/Slim. We’ll wait for the thin phone to debut and prove the existence of this high-performance battery before setting out expectations for the fold phone.
Would You Buy Apple’s Premium Fold iPhone?
The idea of the Apple iPhone Fold is exciting, but we’re still uncertain about the demand for this premium device. Most smartphone users interested in a fold phone have an assortment of Android options at their disposal, available at a range of prices. Apple’s iPhone Fold release will fill the spot for an iOS alternative, but with Apple releasing new premium alternatives this year as well, it’s hard to see how both variants will sell well.
Now that we know more about the iPhone fold’s availability, some fans might hold off on making big purchases this year in wait for next year’s release. This is just a prediction and hardly written in stone, and it could be that Apple has enough fans unafraid of a hefty price tag that both the thin phone and fold phone will perform well.
We’ll have to wait for the iPhone 17 series to make a debut with the iOS 26 changes and then start rewriting our predictions for how Apple’s foldable iPhone will perform next year. The AirPods 3 is also expected to arrive next year, so we have a lot to look forward to.
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