Fold it like Apple: iPhone Fold could debut in 2026 with an iPad mini-sized display in your pocket

Apple is edging closer to entering the arena of foldable smartphones, a market the Cupertino-headquartered tech giant has so far only observed from the fringes, while its rivals, Samsung and OnePlus continue to push and refine their offerings. Yes, Apple has made no official comment, even the recently-concluded WWDC 2025 found no mention of this development, but a growing body of supply-chain reporting, coupled with dedicated Apple watchers, points to a 2026 debut for what many are calling the “iPhone Fold.”

The latest reporting comes from well-known leaker, Digital Chat Station, who wrote on Weibo that the iPhone-maker is testing a book-style prototype that will have a 7.58 inch inner display, just marginally smaller than the 7.8-inch size which was predicted last year by another well-known Apple watcher, Ming-Chi Kuo. When unfolded, the panel could be compared to an iPad mini, which means, if this comes true, users would possess a tablet-class canvas that folds down to a pocketable form factor.

To keep weight in check while maintaining durability, the chassis is said to use titanium, mirroring the material shift Apple introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro line and is expected to continue with the iPhone 16 family. The hinge is reportedly being built around amorphous metallic glass, a tough, low-friction alloy that could reduce wear along the spine, a factor that seems to be one of the biggest complaints coming from users of the foldable phone. In fact, if Apple even reduces the spine wear, it would have all the right to walk away claiming victory.

The iPhone Foldable's camera hardware is understood to centre on a dual 48-megapixel sensors, matching current expectations for the forthcoming iPhone 17 Pro models. Specific lens configurations have not leaked, but parity with Apple’s conventional flagships suggests the company wants to avoid the image-quality compromises that have dogged early foldable devices.

Supply-chain signals and launch timing

Kuo, whose research for TF International Securities frequently foreshadows Apple’s hardware roadmap, told investors in early June that Samsung Display is preparing to supply up to eight million panels for a first-generation foldable iPhone. Still, Kuo cautioned that key mechanical components, notably the hinge, have yet to be finalised and that Apple could change course if durability targets are not met. Even so, he continues to guide for “premium pricing,” a phrase that in Apple’s lexicon typically implies a level comfortably above today’s $1,500-plus foldable Android devices.

Digital Chat Station pegs the launch window at the back end of 2026; Kuo has floated a broader 2026-2027 horizon. That timeline would give Apple ample runway to validate hinge reliability, refine its crease-minimisation strategy and tailor iPadOS-style multitasking features for a foldable form factor running iOS.

Why Apple needs a new form factor

Foldables remain a niche, accounting for roughly 1.5% of smartphone shipments in 2024, as per market researcher, TrendForce’s estimates. Counterpoint Research, on the other hand, expects the segment to contract this year as consumers weigh higher prices against incremental functionality.

Yet Apple’s iPhone revenue peaked in 2022 and has since flattened, leaving the company to hunt for new hardware categories that command premium margins and encourage upgrades among its high-value customer base.

A foldable that marries iPhone apps with near-tablet ergonomics could provide exactly that.

The risk is that early foldables have been faulted for noticeable creases, hinge failures and limited third-party software support for larger, adaptive screens. Apple’s reputation for industrial polish means it will likely hold off until those issues are largely solved.