Manufacturing of the long-awaited iPhone with a folding display begins in a couple of months, in accordance with a trusted analyst. However Apple supposedly plans to make only some million of them, indicating the corporate expects this to be a distinct segment product.
Earlier studies point out the worth for the folding iPhone might be round $2,000 — about what related Androids with foldable screens value. Excessive value retains this complete class of handsets out of the fingers of common customers, and up to now it doesn’t look like Apple has an answer.
Anticipate a small provide of the folding iPhone in 2026
The iPhone began with a 3.5-inch show, after which grew considerably over time. However there’s a snag: the 6.9-inch display within the iPhone 16 Professional Max is about as giant as a show could be with out the handset turning into cumbersome. The apparent subsequent step is a foldable display panel so the smartphone can sustain with buyer demand for ever bigger shows.
And, after years of prep work, a foldable iPhone is allegedly coming quickly.
“Meeting provider Foxconn is anticipated to formally kick off the [folding iPhone] venture in late 3Q25 or early 4Q25,” Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF Worldwide Securities, mentioned Wednesday.
However Apple is seemingly enjoying cautious to not make too many. In accordance with earlier leaks, Samsung would be the sole provider of versatile OLED panels for the system, and “Samsung Show (SDC) plans to construct annual manufacturing capability for 7-8 million foldable panels to provide the 2026 foldable iPhone,” in accordance with Kuo’s notice on Wednesday. Plus, the analyst suggests Apple won’t want all of that capability.
Provided that Apple shipped about 232 million iPhone items in 2024, the foldable mannequin will apparently be a drop within the bucket. But when so, Apple gained‘t be an outlier. The complete world marketplace for foldable handsets reportedly solely hit 15.9 million items in 2024, in comparison with a complete of 1.2 billion smartphones of all types shipped in the identical time interval.
Staying a distinct segment product
The sluggish tempo of releasing new cutting-edge foldable fashions will allegedly proceed for years.
“Latest market rumors counsel Apple has positioned an order for 15–20 million foldable iPhones,” Kuo additionally mentioned on Wednesday. “Primarily based on checks throughout a number of parts, this quantity possible displays cumulative demand over the product’s 2–3 yr lifecycle, reasonably than 2026 alone. This means that Apple’s foldable iPhone, anticipated to enter mass manufacturing in 2H26, might ship a number of million items yearly in each 2027 and 2028, probably as a consequence of its premium pricing.”
As famous, a lot of what’s protecting foldables a distinct segment product is value. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 prices $1,900, whereas the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold is $1,800. Apple’s rival merchandise might are available in above these costs so only some customers can afford them.
Not the iPhone 18 Professional Max
If Kuo’s report is correct, then it appears not possible Apple intends to have the folding iPhone into the premium “Professional Max” mannequin in 2026. Its top-tier model is considered one of its greatest promoting, and changing it with a foldable handset the corporate solely expects to promote a couple of million of can be a severe monetary mistake.
Given how little demand there may be for Android foldables, and the low quantity Apple supposedly ordered, the folding iPhone might be a brand new premium addition to the lineup, not one which takes the place of any present mannequin.
