According to reports, Apple is working on two foldable devices: a foldable iPhone and a large 20-inch foldable iPad.
The iPhone version should be first. In July, Digitimes reported that the launch is targeted for 2026. A release window has not been stated for the iPad, but it is likely later.
Apple's first foldable iPhone will likely be a model similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. It will have a screen size equivalent to a regular phone, but with the ability to fold to be more compact in your pocket.
A December report from the Wall Street Journal suggested that the foldable iPhone's screen will be larger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, meaning at least a 7-inch screen.
Apple is currently working on solving technical challenges related to foldable devices, such as minimizing visible creases on the screen, improving the hinge design, and creating a durable material for the screen protector. The goal is to have a finished, polished product at launch.
Between 2019 and 2023, the foldable smartphone market grew by 40% year-on-year. However, the growth rate is expected to slow to 4% by 2025.
Despite this, experts believe that Apple's entry into the market could lead to a rapid increase in demand. Many people like the concept of the Galaxy Z Flip, for example, but are reluctant to leave the Apple ecosystem.
Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026. The project, known internally as “V68,” has now left prototype and is in a more advanced phase of development.
Could Apple end up making some of the best foldables you can buy? Time will tell.
This article originally appeared in our sister publication Macworld Sweden and was translated and adapted from Swedish.
