Increasing reports indicate that Apple is planning to launch its first foldable iPhone, widely known as the “iPhone Fold,” as part of its plans for 2026.
Despite rumors that have spread in recent weeks about the existence of engineering challenges that may lead to the device being postponed until 2027, reliable sources have confirmed that the company is proceeding according to the specified schedule.
According to a report published by well-known technology journalist Mark Gurman via Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Apple is not facing any real difficulties in developing its foldable phone at the present time.
The report explained, based on multiple sources, that the company plans to announce the phone during the first half of September, coinciding with the launch of the “iPhone 18 Pro” and “iPhone 18 Pro Max.” On the other hand, it is expected that the regular version, “iPhone 18”, will be postponed until the beginning of 2027.
Production and putting on the market
Although supply quantities for the iPhone Fold may be limited at first, Apple plans to start selling the device at the same time as the rest of its flagship phones. Even if there is any slight delay, it will likely go on sale very soon after the official announcement.
Engineering challenges in the development stages
These clarifications came after a previous report published by Nikkei Asia, which indicated that Apple faced more complex engineering challenges than expected during the early stages of testing the foldable phone.
According to the report, these issues became more apparent during the Engineering Verification phase, raising concerns that the production and launch date could be pushed back by several months. However, Apple is working extensively with its supply chain partners to overcome these hurdles.
Start of trial production and forecast quantities
In a related context, recent reports from supply chains indicated that Foxconn has already begun the trial production phase of the “iPhone Fold” phone.
Apple expects initial production volume to range between 7 to 8 million units, a number that represents less than 10% of total iPhone production during the launch cycle. This reflects the company’s tendency to carefully test the market before expanding production.
Despite the technical challenges that accompany the development of the first foldable iPhone, Apple appears to be sticking to its schedule, with the possibility of introducing the “iPhone Fold” alongside the “iPhone 18 Pro” series during next September. With the start of trial production, the company is one step closer to officially entering the foldable phone market.
