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Foldable iPhone Development Progressing Ahead of 2026 Launch

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Apple moved its long-rumored foldable iPhone into its prototyping phase with suppliers last month ahead of a launch scheduled for next year, DigiTimes reports.

Foldable-iPhone-2023-Feature-Iridescent-1.jpg

According to supply chain sources speaking to DigiTimes, Apple began its initial Prototype 1 (P1) phase in June. The device should complete prototype testing by the end of 2025 and then proceed to the Engineering Verification Test (EVT) stage, ahead of launch in the second half of 2026.

The P1 phase is followed by P2 and P3 phases before EVT. Each prototyping stage takes around two months. During this time, Apple's supply chain partners conduct limited trial runs before handing over assembly responsibilities to primary iPhone assemblers Foxconn and Pegatron, who will validate production yields and manufacturability.

The development status of the first foldable iPhone is now in line with the timeline of its other products, with P1 to P3 stages taking place around a year before Apple needs to start EVT, Design Verification Test (DVT), and eventually Mass Production (MP). The iPhone 17 lineup apparently concluded its EVT phase in the second quarter of this year.

DigiTimes added that Apple has paused work on a foldable iPad, which was originally expected to launch around the time of the foldable iPhone. The company's reasoning for this apparently includes manufacturing difficulties, increased production costs related to flexible display technology, and low consumer demand for big-screen foldables.

Apple's first foldable iPhone is currently likely to launch alongside the iPhone 18 lineup in the fall of 2026.

Article Link: Foldable iPhone Development Progressing Ahead of 2026 Launch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/02/foldable-iphone-development-progressing/
I can’t say I’m too interested in a foldable phone so far. I’m hoping that when they do release it they won’t intentionally hinder the original/non foldable iPhone “too much”. As long as the candy bar iPhone still has the top camera then I’m not budging.
 
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If the inner screen has a Tandem OLED and the hardware is no-compromise flagship appropriate (not 12 gigs of RAM or any of that nonsense) I'm willing to replace my iPhone and iPad Pro M4 with a foldable iPhone. At the very least the inner screen needs to support the Pencil Pro I already own.

If it can't replace my iPad Pro M4 then it's not worth the two grand for me.

It really needs to be rock solid like my current iPhone. Not those easily scratchable inner screens with a clearly visible crease that have been around in other foldables for years and can sometimes brick themselves from everyday dust and dirt.

lkrupp said:
I don’t see the allure of a foldable iPhone as well.
Click to expand...
For me the allure is replacing my iPhone and iPad with one device that can do it all. At the bare minimum I need my Pencil Pro to be supported on the inner screen that needs to be Tandem OLED. Full iPadOS support like the new display modes of iPadOS 26 need to be available as well.

If it's merely an iPhone with a bigger inner screen then it's of no use to me. At the suggested price point it needs to be more than a big iPhone.
 
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The tech enthusiast in me is eager to see what Apple ends up with, if it happens. Of course Apple would be blamed for not releasing a rumored product if the manufacturers cannot successfully produce something up to standards.

And if it actually happens, then another part of my brain is dreading all the coverage, drop tests, torture tests, ugly attempts at making protective cases, and the never ending arguments about its use and its very existence, yada yada.
 
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Look, we don’t need the usual “who even wants a foldable?” takes. Congrats you’re not into it. But some of us are actually pumped to see Apple finally try something different with the iPhone. Novel concept right? It’s not for everyone and that’s fine but spare us the dramatic eye rolls while we enjoy something that isn’t just the same rectangle for the 17th year in a row.
 
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Personally I'm very excited by this phone, I really hope it is due next year as I'm postponing upgrading this year for it. Having the flexibility of a smaller or larger screen is important to me, especially if it offers similar multi-window features that iPadOS is getting. Fingers crossed it doesn't get delayed to the 20th anniversary year...
 
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lkrupp said:
I don’t see the allure of a foldable iPhone as well.
Click to expand...
Then you don’t see the allure of an iPad either.

Take price and durability out of the equation and you have no reason to not want a folding iPhone. Why wouldn’t you want an iPad in your pocket? It’s just going to take a few revisions to improve and get to where it will be more mainstream. But Apple has to start somewhere to get there. The current folding Android phones and the next gen ones coming this summer are just as thin as flagship phones and just a hair heavier. They are already very popular with frequent flyers. I see them all the time on airplanes. Just give it time.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
Really bummed that a Flip isn't in the rumors

Some variation on this 👇, but an iPhone, is what I was hoping for.

View attachment 2525259
Click to expand...
I would be much more interested in an iFlip than an iFold myself. A Z Flip that runs iOS, that's what I'd like! Hopefully the iFold will be a hot item, and the iFlip will follow closely on its heels.
 
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I'm extremely interested in this product if it folds to about the sam size as my current iPhone Pro. Because I wear my phone in a suit pocket, I can't accommodate anything very big or thick. But I would absolutely love to be able to unfold my device into a bigger screen for reading documents. I really hope Apple gets this right.
 
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Let's go! I have a OnePlus Open right now but will be switching to the Fold 7 this month. The GF7 should hold me over until the iPhone Fold is released next year.
 
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I'm very interested in a foldable iPhone. My only concern is if they have learned from the designs the other foldable phone makers or is the first generation of Apple's version going to be a mess? Samsung is about to announce its 7th generation of this device type next week.
 
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Wether I use one or not, I welcome the foldable iPhone and hope it lives up to the standard and becomes a really nice product in the lineup. Everyone I know who uses a Samsung Fold (not flip) love them.
 
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H.E. Pennypacker said:
... spare us the dramatic eye rolls while we enjoy something that isn’t just the same rectangle for the 17th year in a row.
Click to expand...
How do you feel about rectangular books, television screens, and rooms? I agree variety is a plus, but not at the expense of functionality.

On my part, I simply don't think flexing sensitive electronic components back and forth is ever wise. That being sad, if Apple came out with a foldable phone with two physically separate screens joined by an ultra-precision hinge, I might be interested.
 
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VulchR said:
How do you feel about rectangular books, television screens, and rooms? I agree variety is a plus, but not at the expense of functionality.

On my part, I simply don't think flexing sensitive electronic components back and forth is ever wise. That being sad, if Apple came out with a foldable phone with two physically separate screens joined by an ultra-precision hinge, I might be interested.
Click to expand...

I honestly wish there was a tweak for macOS to bring back rectangular App windows.

My screen is a rectangle. I'd like my App windows to also be rectangles.

This "rounding for the sake of it" just feels pointless to me, and for some reason always bothers my type-a sensibilities.
 
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This may very well be my next phone. It all comes down to the aspect ratio, thickness and how iOS will work on the larger display.
 
They putting desktop mode or stage manager or whatever they’re calling it now on phones too? Or is this really just going to be a foldable for the sake of me too?
 
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