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Last week, a report surfaced that Apple has temporarily shelved its foldable project due to display issues. The company allegedly found quality issues during durability tests of folding displays. It appears the report was inaccurate. Even if there was an issue, it seemingly won’t affect Apple’s plans. The firm is reportedly on track to launch the first foldable iPhone in 2026, with its Vision Pro team helping with the development work.
Apple to launch the first foldable iPhone after the Galaxy Z Fold 8
While foldable smartphones have been a thing since 2019, Apple has stayed away from this game. The iPhone maker, which recently overtook Samsung to become the world’s largest smartphone company, is only observing foldables from the outside. Reports suggest the firm’s foldable project is still in the research and development stage. It is examining products from other brands to determine the best way to go about its first foldable.
According to a new report from the Korean publication Alpha Economic News, Apple is slowly but surely making progress in its foldable development. The company recently moved a significant number of key personnel from its Vision Pro team to the foldable team. The newly-release mixed reality headset is arguably the most innovative product the company has made in recent years. It seemingly wants to apply the same expertise to its foldable.
Apple reportedly aims to introduce a folding iPhone in September or October 2026, likely alongside the iPhone 18 series. By that time, Samsung would have launched its eighth-gen foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. However, Apple still appears confident to challenge established players right away. Currently, the firm estimates the first foldable iPhone to sell around 50 million units.
As things stand, the whole foldable market is much smaller than that. While the market continues to grow, it might take years before annual foldable sales of existing players cross 50 million units. Even Samsung, which has been the world’s biggest foldable vendor since 2019, might not move that many units in 2026 or 2027. If Apple manages to do that with its first-gen model, it would be a huge boost for the foldable smartphone industry.
Apple also has a folding iPad in the pipeline
The tech fraternity may be eagerly waiting for the first-gen foldable iPhone, but Apple could precede it with a folding iPad. There are rumors that the company will first experiment with a folding tablet before venturing into folding phones. Things should get clearer as Apple’s foldable products inch closer to reality. The next major foldable launch will come from Samsung. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 should arrive in July this year.