Concept: Ran Avni
Apple is not working on not one but two foldable devices. One is an iPad or MacBook with a big 20-inch folding display that seemingly won’t have a visible screen crease.
The second folding device is an iPhone that could launch as soon as 2026 or 2027.
Apple’s foldable iPhone could sport a book-style design
Slowly but steadily, demand for foldable phones is picking up steam. While they won’t replace traditional smartphones anytime soon, their innovative form factor helps manufacturers justify the steep price tag. Samsung once led the foldable smartphone segment, but sales of its Galaxy devices have fallen as Chinese brands — including Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi — have introduced sleeker and more advanced foldables.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will launch its first folding iPhone in 2026 or 2027. It will supposedly be a book-style foldable, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, and pack a display bigger than the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Cupertino giant first considered making a foldable iPhone with an outward folding display. But it seems to have finally settled on a book-style design, like other foldables on the market.
Apple is diligently working on its folding iPhone, but the project faces several issues. It ran into issues with the hinge and cover screen for the display, delaying the foldable iPhone.
Foldable iPhone may hit the market in 2026 or 2027
The report claims Apple could launch the first foldable iPhone in 2026 or 2027. This corroborates previous leaks suggesting a 2026 release timeframe for an iPhone with a folding display. Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu also believes a 2026 launch for Apple’s first folding iPhone
As for the 20-inch folding iPad/Mac, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman recently spilled the beans on it. The device will seemingly have a non-existent crease and will supposedly run iPadOS, which will be mature enough by 2028 to run macOS apps.
