Apple plans to release a foldable iPhone in 2026, and will then follow it up with a foldable iPad in 2028, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.
Multiple sources have now confirmed that Apple is planning to release its first foldable iPhone in 2026, with the device coming as part of the iPhone 18 lineup. Launch timing on a larger-screened foldable device has been more uncertain.
Originally, rumors indicated that the foldable iPad or MacBook would come before the iPhone, and there have been launch rumors with dates ranging from 2026 to 2028. Rumors have also varied between calling the foldable device an iPad and a MacBook, but it seems like all of the information about a larger foldable refers to the same product. The foldable iPad could have a screen between 18 and 20 inches when unfolded, with a smaller form factor when closed.
According to Kuo, Apple is using ultra-thin cover glass for both the foldable iPhone and foldable iPad, which is a rumor that we've heard before. Corning will supply the ultra-thin cover glass, but General Interface Solutions (GIS) will work with Corning on cutting, corner treatments, inspection, packaging, and shipping.
Kuo expects Apple to sell somewhere between 8 to 10 million foldable iPhones in 2026, and up to 25 million in 2027. The larger-screened foldable is not expected to sell as well because Kuo says it will be priced "considerably higher" than the foldable iPhone.
