Here's When Apple's Rumored Foldable iPhone May Hit Store Shelves

Apple has a long history of arriving late to a product category. The iPod was far from the first portable music player. Many companies attempted to make tablets a thing before the iPad arrived. And just last year, Apple released its first mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro, years after VR headsets appeared as a category thanks to work from companies like Meta.

When it comes to foldable phones, the same looks to be true. Ever since Samsung launched the first Galaxy Z Fold in 2019, speculation has risen over what a folding iPhone would look like. But just as some were beginning to give up on seeing such a device, a trickle of folding iPhone rumors seem to confirm one is on the horizon.

Apple seems eager to show up with flowers in hand. Leaks and rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone is being solidified inside Apple HQ. Traditionally, Apple's latecomer strategy has paid off. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other products dominated their respective product categories, mostly because they nailed the fundamentals of the user experience. The disappointing sales of the Vision Pro are a lone exception.

Android manufacturers have run into consistent pain points with foldables, from fragile screens and hinges to more cosmetic blemishes like creases in the screen. Android foldables are still difficult to recommend. If Apple wants to beat Samsung, OnePlus, and other foldable brands, these are problems its engineers are likely to address. So, when can we expect a folding iPhone to hit store shelves? Let's dive into what we know.

Apple's rumored folding iPhone has been further confirmed on the horizon, with a stated release window of 2026. The Information, which spoke to two people who reported having "direct knowledge of the matter," states that Apple has reached out to suppliers for components. Placing an order for those parts suggests the folks at Cupertino have settled on some key design elements for such a phone.

At first, rumors suggested that Apple was working on two designs, which led to speculation that it would copy Samsung in releasing two foldable phones, a clamshell and a book-style. However, the latest information claims Apple has settled on a singular, clamshell design like that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Assuming all of that is at least close to the truth, the remaining questions are when in 2026 the foldable will launch. Apple traditionally unveils its yearly iPhone refresh around late summer or the beginning of the autumn season, usually in September. If the folding iPhone is part of the main lineup, that's another two full years past the publication date on this article.

However, Apple may choose to release the folding iPhone separately for any of a few reasons. It might drive more initial sales to put the risky, experimental product alone on the calendar to prevent it from being cannibalized by the traditional iPhones. A solo release would also generate more press around it. And, of course, Apple likely wants to charge top dollar for such a device, so releasing it alone would lessen the possibility of its pricing being compared to that of other iPhones. That could mean a release earlier or later in 2026 compared to the standard iPhone lineup.