Apple iPhone Fold launch may slip to 2027 as display specs leak; iPhone 18e and Foldable MacBook timelines revealed
Apple’s long-rumoured iPhone Fold may not arrive until 2027, according to a report published by Japan’s Mizuho Securities and later cited by Korean technology outlet The Elec. The research note claims that Apple still needs additional time to finalise the hinge mechanism and display architecture, making it difficult to begin mass production in Q3 2026 and launch alongside the iPhone 18 series that September.
Mizuho Securities also revised its panel production forecast for the foldable iPhone, cutting expected volumes from 13 million to 11 million, and now to 9 million units. Even if Apple proceeds with a 2026 production plan, initial shipments could be limited to 5–7 million units, below total panel output. The firm estimates the planned volume between 10 million and 15 million units, depending on factors such as pricing and return rates.
All display panels for Apple’s foldable iPhone are expected to be supplied by Samsung Display, the same manufacturer behind the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which launched earlier this year in South Korea at KRW 2.38 million ($1,700).
According to the report, the Apple iPhone Fold will feature a 7.58-inch internal display and a 5.38-inch external screen, integrating CoE (Colour filter on Encapsulation) to remove the polariser, a hole-punch display design, and LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) TFT for improved power efficiency.
Earlier, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the average selling price of the iPhone Fold hinge could fall to around $70–80 per unit—roughly 20–35 percent lower than previous estimates—owing to design optimisation and Foxconn’s manufacturing efficiency.
Mizuho also predicts that Apple could split iPhone releases into autumn and spring seasons starting in 2026. The iPhone 18 line-up, planned for September 2026, is expected to include the Pro, Pro Max, Air, and Fold models, with the base iPhone 18 and budget iPhone 18e to follow in spring 2027.
Apple’s total 2026 iPhone shipments are projected at 229 million units, roughly 7 percent lower than 2025’s 246 million, before rebounding to 252 million units in 2027, which could surpass the company’s previous production record set in 2015. Mizuho adds that Apple is already developing new technologies for the iPhone 19 series, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, when foldable pricing is expected to decrease.
The report also states that Apple’s foldable MacBook, featuring an 18.9-inch flexible panel, is unlikely to launch before 2028–2029, as Apple plans to gauge consumer reaction to its foldable iPhone first.
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