Apple Reportedly Moving Forward With Foldable iPhone

Apple has been regularly making subtle changes and improvements to its iPhone line over the past several years, but the broader design has not changed all that much. However, it sounds like Apple is moving forward with a pretty significant change.

On Wednesday, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a proven track record of reliable and accurate reports on the company, reported that Apple has plans to make a folding iPhone starting next year.

Kuo is an analyst for TF International Securities, and his reporting focuses on the Asian electronics supply chain. Given that Apple's iPhones are primarily assembled in China, he often gets inside information on Apple products before they’re launched by speaking to sources within the supply chain.

According to Kuo's reporting, the new foldable iPhone is expected to have a display made by Samsung Display, which is planning to produce as many as eight million foldable panels for the device next year. 

While the plans for the foldable screen have been finalized, Kuo reports that other components like the hinge, which he notes has drawn "considerable market attention," have not been finalized yet.

Given what he knows about the order size and Apple's plan for manufacturing, Kuo expects that the new foldable iPhone will be sold at "premium pricing."

"Recent market rumors suggest Apple has placed an order for 15–20 million foldable iPhones. Based on checks across multiple components, this volume likely reflects cumulative demand over the product’s 2–3 year lifecycle, rather than 2026 alone. This indicates that Apple’s foldable iPhone, expected to enter mass production in 2H26, may ship several million units annually in both 2027 and 2028, possibly due to its premium pricing," Kuo wrote in a post on X.

While this is exciting news and a major change for the iPhone line, Kuo did note that the project has not officially kicked off yet, meaning these plans are all subject to change.

"It’s worth noting that all plans remain subject to change prior to the official project kickoff," Kuo wrote in a social media post.