(Credit: Jeffrey Hazelwood/PCMag)
UPDATE 4/8: In response to Nikkei Asia reports about a foldable iPhone delay, Bloomberg now reports that the phone is "on track to arrive during the company’s normal iPhone launch period later this year." Mark Gurman acknowledges that the "complexity" of the new device might result in limited supply for a few weeks, but says it should go on sale around the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September.
Original Story 4/7:
Apple’s highly anticipated foldable iPhone may not arrive in 2026 amid testing setbacks, according to Nikkei Asia.
Apple has been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone for years. Multiple leaks suggest a debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this fall, though Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says it might happen afterward in a separate launch, possibly early 2027. A Barclays analyst tips a December launch, MacRumors notes.
The latest Nikkei report brings more bad news for those eagerly awaiting the phone. Apple expected a few issues to surface during the test production phase, but it reportedly discovered far more complex engineering problems than anticipated. As a result, the phone’s mass-production timeline could delay the first shipment by several months, sources tell Nikkei.
Apple may still unveil its foldable alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September. However, it may not ship to customers until late this year or early 2027. We saw a similar timeline with the Vision Pro, which was unveiled in June 2023 but didn’t begin shipping in the US until February 2024.
As for the foldable iPhone's features, it is expected to have a crease-free 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, the A20 chip, four cameras, Touch ID, and a $2,000+ price tag. Rumors point to it being called the iPhone Fold, though another leaker says it could be the iPhone Ultra.