Will You Be Able to Buy an ‘iPhone Fold’ in 2026?
Apple Vision Pro demo area in Omotesando Tokyo store [Apple]
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Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to launch in the second half of next year. After years of rumors, it’s finally right around the corner. Apple has lagged behind competitors like Samsung, which brought its first foldable smartphone to market in 2019 — a delay that’s raised expectations for Apple’s so-called “iPhone Fold.” That, combined with the success of this year’s iPhone 17 and growing anticipation, means analysts expect massive demand for the new foldable when it finally launches.
Although reports indicate the price could start at $2,400 for the base model, we’re not talking about premium pricing for the sake of vanity like we were with this year’s iPhone Air. Far from it. While we admittedly don’t know much, we’re expecting a pro-level device in every respect — screen size and quality, power, performance, battery life, and cameras (could there be four?).
Could demand possibly outpace supply for an iPhone that could cost around as much as two new iPhone 17 Pro or M4 MacBook Air devices? According to popular and generally reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the answer is yes. In summarizing a recent interview, Kuo said:
Development of the foldable iPhone is behind earlier expectations, but the product is still expected to announce in 2H26. Due to early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges, smooth shipments may not occur until 2027. With limited supply and expected strong demand, the foldable iPhone could be facing shortages until at least the end of 2026.
For those wondering, “ramp-up” and “yield” challenges are pretty all-encompassing. Manufacturing ramp-up is the phase after product development, during which the goal is to work out any kinks in small batches on the way to full-capacity production. Yield is typically a measurement of how efficiently a sellable product is produced. This means Apple’s alleged foldable iPhone production issues could be the result of anything from a lack of material, quality control, maintenance, training, and more.
These sound like the types of issues an army of people at Apple worries about daily. The rest of us don’t care until we can’t get our hands on what we want. Apple will figure it out. Would you bet against it? More importantly, would you spend $2,400-$3,000 on a foldable iPhone?
Maybe some extra time to think about it will be valuable. Kuo also believes smart glasses with displays may replace our screen-based devices sometime between 2028 and 2030. If he’s right, your ‘iPhone Fold’ will only need to last about 2 to 3 years before your next Apple device sits only an inch from your eyeballs.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
