While major smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and Google have already established themselves in the foldable market, Apple has notably lagged behind. However, the tech giant is actively developing its first foldable device. In a recent interview, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed the expected launch timeline and key specifications for Apple’s highly anticipated foldable iPhone.
Strategic shift: Prioritising foldables over iPhone Air
According to Kuo, Apple is attempting to compensate for its late start in the AI race by doubling down on hardware innovation. While the company introduced the iPhone Air this year, sales reportedly failed to meet expectations. Consequently, Apple has shifted its strategy: the next iteration of the iPhone Air has been delayed, while the production of the foldable iPhone has been fast-tracked.
“Currently, foldable iPhones are expected next year… Despite rumors of a delay until 2027, our industry surveys from the past few weeks indicate that Apple has not changed its original goal,” Kuo stated.
Production targets and launch timeline
Apple originally planned to launch the next-generation iPhone Air in the second half of 2026, followed by two Pro models and a foldable. However, due to revised production targets, dropping from 8 million units this year to fewer than 6 million for the next Air, Apple has pushed the Air's refresh to 2027. This move allows the company to focus on the foldable iPhone, which is now expected to be announced in the fall of 2026.
Kuo cautioned that even if the announcement occurs in 2026, initial shipment volumes will likely be small. He suggests that the aggressive schedule means mass production may not begin until well after the initial reveal. In fact, some final specifications may still be under development.
Key Specs: A premium AI carrier
Kuo predicts the foldable iPhone will be a high-end luxury device with the following estimated specs:
- Price: Exceeding $2,000 (around Rs 1.80 lakh).
- Dimensions: Approximately 9 mm thick when unfolded and 9.2 mm when folded.
The shift toward a foldable design is also driven by Apple's vision for Artificial Intelligence. The company believes that larger screens will become essential "AI carriers," providing the necessary display real estate for multimodal processing and edge AI tasks in the future.
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