Hoping to boost sales, Apple could launch its first folding iPhone as soon as 2026, according to The Wall Street Journal. The foldable phone reportedly will follow a super-thin model — which previous rumors called the “iPhone 17 Air” or the “iPhone 17 Slim” — as Apple shakes up its stagnant smartphone lineup.
“It looks like Apple is looking towards hardware innovation to drive user upgrades,” BayStreet Research analyst Cliff Maldonado told the Journal. “The iPhone 16 will be the last of the boring aesthetic phones.”
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 fell off as Chinese brands — including Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus and Xiaomi — introduced sleeker and more advanced foldables.
The Journal reported Sunday that Apple executives want to launch the first folding iPhone in 2026, although the date could slip to 2027. It supposedly will 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. Apple 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 major hurdles. Apple reportedly ran into problems with the hinge and cover screen for the display, delaying the device’s development.
Foldable iPhone might hit the market in 2026 or 2027
As mentioned, the Journal’s report says 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 mentioned a 2026 launch for Apple’s first folding iPhone.
Apple continues to work on another foldable device, too. The other is an iPad or MacBook with a 20-inch folding display that seemingly won’t have a visible screen crease. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman recently spilled the beans on the device, which reportedly will run iPadOS. The iPad operating system supposedly will be mature enough by 2028 to run macOS apps.
