Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone next year, with most reports suggesting the folding handset will be part of the iPhone 18 series due in September 2026. However, Korean news outlet The Elec says the foldable iPhone launch might be pushed back to 2027, as Apple has yet to finalize the design and specifications of key components, like the hinge. The report notes the information comes from a Mizuho Securities report released earlier this week.
The Japanese analysts claim that mass-producing a foldable iPhone in the third quarter of 2026 for a September release might be difficult, considering Apple has not finalized the design of key parts. Mizuho Securities noted that the expected volume of panel production for the foldable phone has been revised down from 13 million units to 11 million, and then to 9 million. The analysts believe that even if Apple manages to launch a foldable iPhone on time next year, it won’t be able to mass-produce more than 5-7 million units in 2026.
The iPhone 18 lineup
Reports from earlier this year claimed that the iPhone 18 lineup will not feature a standard iPhone 18 model next year. The cheaper model will be pushed back to spring 2027, to be released alongside the iPhone 18e. Instead, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold next September. Mizuho Securities offers a similar forecast. It’s also possible that Apple could announce the foldable iPhone next September, even if the release date gets pushed back. The analysts expect Apple’s annual iPhone shipments to suffer on account of the foldable iPhone’s limited supply and the exclusion of a standard iPhone from the 2026 lineup.
Apple might sell 229 million iPhone units next year, 7% fewer than the 246 million iPhones expected to sell this year. The report also notes that the 2025 iPhone models are selling better than expected, except for the iPhone Air. Apple is expected to produce 94 million units in total this year — 6 million more than the original projection. The standard iPhone 18, which might sell close to 20 million units in the first year, would only make an impact in 2027. iPhone production may reach a total of 252 million units for 2027 — the highest since 2015.
Foldable iPhone specs and price
As per analysts, the foldable iPhone will feature a 7.58-inch foldable display and a 5.38-inch cover screen. Other key technologies include CoE (Color filter on Encapsulation), which eliminates the polarizer; LTPO OLED panels with 1-120Hz ProMotion technology, and a hole-punch display design. On the latter, it’s unclear which display will feature hole-punch cameras, and how large they will be. Apple is rumored to place Face ID components under the display in future iPhone models, but it’s unclear whether the foldable iPhone will benefit from such technology. Design details aside, the foldable iPhone’s screens will be manufactured by Samsung Display.
While Mizuho Securities did not offer a specific price point for the foldable iPhone, they pointed out that the price could exceed $2,000 — which is in the same ballpark as Samsung’s and Google’s folding phones. Rumors also suggest that foldable iPhones may get more affordable by 2027. Apple is also working on new technologies for the 20th anniversary iPhone, which is set to be a part of the iPhone 19 or 20 series in 2027. Finally, the analysts from Mizuho say that the public reaction to the foldable iPhone will impact the release of the first foldable MacBook. The 18.9-inch device might be released between 2028 and 2029 at the earliest, depending on how consumers react to the foldable phone.
