Foldable iPhone: Its release is closer than you think

 Apple wants to undermine the competition, and soon.

Apple is lagging behind its main competitors, both of which have their own range of foldable smartphones. This year, the Apple brand will simply launch the four iPhone 17s without offering a rival to products from Samsung, Google, or Huawei. However, the foldable iPhone is expected to hit the market as early as 2026. Perhaps even earlier than expected. Apple is reportedly not waiting until September to release it.

The foldable iPhone in your hands in early 2026?

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reveals that Apple could launch its foldable iPhone as early as early 2026. The Apple brand has already decided to launch a smartphone in late winter this year with the affordable iPhone 16.

The Bloomberg journalist points out that Apple isn't trying to revolutionize the market with the foldable iPhone, but rather to meet consumer expectations. This should help avoid another snub to the Vision Pro. It also isn't a carbon copy of its competitors' smartphones. The Cupertino company is even said to be offering some innovations, such as a better hinge mechanism designed to minimize the crease that forms in the middle of the screen when the device is opened and closed.

Meanwhile, tipster Dingzhuo Digital reports that the foldable iPhone would feature the largest battery in an Apple smartphone to date. Its capacity would be between 5,000 and 5,500 mAh , ahead of the iPhone 16 Pro Max (4,685 mAh). He also estimates that the smartphone should cost 15,000 yuan in China, or around $2,000. This figure should be taken with even more caution due to possible international taxes. The price of the foldable iPhone would be between $1,800 and $2,000, according to UBS.

Moreover, the group's specialists have carried out a small comparison between the folding iPhone and its competitors, namely the Z Fold7, the Z Fold SE and the Mate XT from Huawei. Apple's smartphone would be inferior in many aspects , such as RAM, screen size and camera capabilities. See you in 2026 to find out what the folding iPhone really has in store.