Apple reportedly pushes back launch of the foldable iPhone

Apple’s first foray into foldables is widely believed to be a large device – a 7-8 inch tablet in the iPad family and, later on, an even larger 20.25” gadget that will likely be sold under the Mac name. The smaller of the two is expected in 2026/2027, while the larger foldable might be targeting a 2028 launch.

And there is a foldable iPhone in the works, of course. It might not come as soon as originally planned, but it might still beat the other two to market.

Apple had originally picked late 2026 as the launch time frame for the folding iPhone, according to reports. Now Korean publication Alpha Business quotes an insider who claims that the launch has been pushed back to early 2027. This will allow Cupertino to make “thorough preparations on all matters, including the supply and demand of the foldable display”.

The time frame for vetting and selecting component suppliers remains the same, however. Apple reportedly tapped both Samsung Display and LG Display to provide prototype displays.

Neither company has built a display quite like this one – Apple patented a solution to reduce the crease where the display folds in half. This is done by etching a groove in the Ultra Thin Glass and covering it up with flexible polymers. This will allow the display panel to bend more easily and form a less visible crease.

Anyway, it sounds like Apple was planning to release a foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 generation. With the delay, it may have its own launch or possibly share it with the foldable iPad (unless that one gets hit by a delay of its own).

Source (in Korean) | Via