Apple's Foldable iPhone Production to Begin This Fall for 2026 Release

[MacRumors]

Apple supplier Foxconn is expected to officially start producing Apple's foldable iPhone late in the third quarter of 2025 (late September), or early in the fourth quarter (October), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Apple plans to launch the device in the fall of 2026 as part of the iPhone 18 lineup.

Though the September/October 2025 timeline is fast approaching, Kuo says that many component specifications have not yet been finalized. What is finished, though, is the foldable display, which will be produced by Samsung Display.

Rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone will feature a display that's around 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.8 inches when opened up. It will fold in half like a book, similar to the Galaxy Fold devices, rather than the Galaxy Flip.

The foldable iPhone could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and 9 to 9.5mm when it's closed, which would make it incredibly thin when used in its full-screen mode. Apple put considerable effort into hinge design, and the device is expected to have almost no visible crease. It will use under-display cameras, though it may feature some kind of Touch ID authentication feature rather than Face ID due to space constraints. It will, of course, be expensive. In the past, Kuo has said he expects Apple to price the foldable iPhone at $2,000 to $2,500, and that was before Apple was facing steep tariffs in China.

Kuo expects that Samsung Display will produce around seven to eight million foldable panels for the foldable iPhone in 2026, with Apple placing an order for 15 to 20 million total foldable iPhones. Kuo suspects that the 15 to 20 million foldable devices will last Apple two to three years, with demand somewhat limited due to the cost of the smartphone.

Right now, rumors suggest that Apple is aiming for a fall 2026 launch, but Kuo warns that Apple's plans "remain subject to change" prior to when the project officially reaches the production stage.

Article Link: Apple's Foldable iPhone Production to Begin This Fall for 2026 Release

 

[BabyBoii]

Man, apple just keeps having flop after flop. Hate to say it, but I think the best of apple is behind us 😭

 

[Seanm87]

Man, apple just keeps having flop after flop. Hate to say it, but I think the best of apple is behind us 😭

It isn’t even out yet or even announced. How is it a flop?

 

[DocMultimedia]

Fall 2026 launch and already getting ready for production? Maybe ten prototypes, but not much more at this point. IMO.

 

[Syk]

I won't buy the 1st release but will take a look at the following release

 

[BabyBoii]

It isn’t even out yet or even announced. How is it a flop?

gives me major vision pro vibes. Expensive and no one is asking for it.

 

[svish]

Looking forward to hearing all the rumors in the coming months. Think it will have a starting price of $1999. Will be nice to finally have a foldable from Apple.

 

[igauravarora]

Damn if this is like passport style foldable this would be amazing for the people who liked the mini form factor. I just hope it's thin enough, might be a real upgrade after the iPhone X.

 

[pdaholic]

I will be ordering day 1! I’ve been using a z fold 6 for the past few months. Absolutely love the hardware (nothing like having a tablet in your pocket!), but Android has been buggy (I’ll never complain about Apple bugs again) and Apps like Dropbox and Google Drive are awful on that platform. Can’t wait.

 

[sychox51]

that is such a bad photoshop job. like wowsers bad.

 

[Jkeith85]

Just because you don’t want it, don’t assume others don’t. I will be buying.

 

[tomtad]

Man, apple just keeps having flop after flop. Hate to say it, but I think the best of apple is behind us 😭

It flops when you close it

 

[Seanm87]

gives me major vision pro vibes. Expensive and no one is asking for it.

Expensive yes. People are asking for it though.

This forum thought people were asking for a an iPhone mini and clearly they weren’t.

 

[surferfb]

I seriously doubt they're starting production a year out.

 

[jz0309]

I seriously doubt they're starting production a year out.

yes, correct. They likely start trial production but lot of the components, eg chips, are not even going to be ready in Q3/4 this year ...
another click-bait, this time Kuo. He gets better at that lately.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

Reposting this image someone helpfully made:

Little shorter, fatter than mini… I honestly can't tell if I'd hate this thing or not. And a plastic screen… hm…

 

[filmantopia]

Kills me that it doesn’t have a three lens camera system. Otherwise I’d probably go for it.

 

[jz0309]

gives me major vision pro vibes. Expensive and no one is asking for it.

so, you've done research and asked people whether or not they would like a foldable iPhone, and they all said no, correct?
geez, this "no one asked for it" BS is getting really old ...
But, you're on the internet, you are entitled to your opinion.

 

[iWeaverOS]

This will be a day one for me. I'm hoping the camera is on par with the pros.

 

[GioGiusi]

It isn’t even out yet or even announced. How is it a flop?

Taking foldable phones seriously is a flop, just like taking VR seriously.

 

[jz0309]

Kills me that it doesn’t have a three lens camera system. Otherwise I’d probably go for it.

if it foregoes the ultra-wide - I'll be good with that.

 

[GioGiusi]

gives me major vision pro vibes. Expensive and no one is asking for it.

And no one will buy it either, just like Vision Pro.

 

[filmantopia]

Man, apple just keeps having flop after flop. Hate to say it, but I think the best of apple is behind us 😭

What exactly are you expecting Apple to do right now? They’re playing on the grounds where technology is at. Foldables are likely where this stuff is going. Nobody object to a larger screen that can still fit comfortably in the pocket. If Apple does that well, they’ll be in a good place.

 

[Vanilla2108]

I wonder if the strategy is for this to replace the iPad mini....

 

[0815]

can't wait ... if every rumors about it are true, I am definitely going to get it.

My problem with Android foldable/flip phones (besides that they are running Android) is that when they are folded they are as fat as two phones stacked on top of each other. I want it folded not much thicker then the current phone and unfolded almost as big as an iPad mini ... and this is happening according to the rumors.

Given the improvements to ipadOS 26, I wish it would run iPad OS when unfolded ... one can hope.