Apple may launch foldable iPhone in 2026, reportedly thinner and lighter than rivals

Apple is said to be working on multiple foldable devices, with a clamshell foldable phone and a foldable tablet rumored to be in the works. Earlier this week, a prominent Apple analyst said that the foldable MacBook will actually be Apple’s first product in the category to go into mass production in 2027. Now, an insider says the company plans to launch a foldable iPhone in 2026.

According to Revegnus (@Tech_Reve), the foldable iPhone will be Apple’s first foldable iPhone, with the company eyeing a 2026 release. The new information contradicts reports from last month that claimed the company had halted development of a foldable phone due to display problems.

The tipster, citing a report from Korean outlet AlphaBiz, said that Apple’s foldable phone will be released in 2026. The report claims to cite a senior Apple official shedding light on the iPhone maker’s plans for a foldable phone. “Apple has decided to launch the foldable iPhone in 2026, which is later than expected,” the official said (translated from Korean). “Because it is a later version than its competitors, we know that the most advanced technologies will be concentrated.”

According to the report, the Apple representative said the foldable iPhone will be thinner and lighter than the competition, with an emphasis on preventing crease marks on the foldable screen. “In particular, the goal is to avoid the wrinkles that competitors struggle with,” the official said.

While Apple is lagging behind in the foldable segment, rivals Samsung and Google already have foldable phones on the market. Samsung has released five generations of clamshell and book-style foldable phones, while Google launched the Pixel Fold last year.

The latest update contradicts reports from earlier this week that Apple’s first foldable will be a 20.3-inch foldable MacBook, likely to enter mass production in 2027. TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims The MacBook is Apple’s only foldable product with a clear development schedule right now. “My latest research shows that currently the only Apple foldable product with a clear development schedule is the 20.3-inch MacBook, which is expected to enter mass production in 2027,” Kuo said this week in an X post.

While Apple is rumored to be working on an unspecified large-screen foldable alongside the foldable iPhone and iPad models, a report last month said Apple has halted development of a foldable phone due to issues with the foldable display.