Apple iPhone Fold launch in 2026 is uncertain, according to analyst

Delays everywhere you look. Not only is the Galaxy S26, expected in January 2026, rumored to be launching later than planned, but Apple's first foldable device may not be released in September 2026 as previously expected. At least according to the claims of Japanese analyst firm Mizuho Securities in a report published by South Korean industry magazine TheElec. In their analysis, the market observers claim that Apple will find it difficult to mass-produce key components of the foldable, potentially called the iPhone Fold, such as the hinge, in the third quarter of 2026, in time for a launch alongside the iPhone 18 generation.

This makes a launch in 2027 increasingly likely. According to rumors so far, the first foldable iPhone will feature a 7.58-inch internal LTPO AMOLED display from Samsung and a 5.38-inch cover display. Like Samsung's current foldables, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, these displays are thinner thanks to CoE technology and do not require a polarizer. Even further down the line, the first "MacBook Fold" with a foldable 18.9-inch display is expected, which, according to analysts, will launch in 2028 at the earliest.

Mizuho Securities also comments on the rumors surrounding a two-part iPhone 18 launch: According to the report, the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will not be launched until spring 2027, with only the more expensive iPhone 18 variants, i.e., the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Air and potentially the iPhone 18 Fold model, coming in September 2026. In general, analysts expect relatively low sales figures for the first iPhone Fold, namely around 5 to 7 million units, compared to 20 million units for an average new iPhone base model in its first year.