Android World Folding smartphones have been enjoyed for the past six years, but Apple fans will soon be able to partake in the fun – according to a report from The Information, a folding iPhone could arrive in 2026.
The project, codenamed V68, is still in the early stages and there’s no guarantee it will come to fruition, but the report says it has moved beyond the concept stage and suppliers are involved. This would be Apple’s first major design change to its flagship product since the iPhone X in 2017. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the folding iPhone reports.
Apple’s move comes at a time when folding smartphones are gaining popularity around the world. Analytics firm Counterpoint Research reports that the folding phone market grew 49 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024, its highest growth rate in six quarters. iPhone shipments declined 13 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, so a folding iPhone could be just the thing Apple needs to boost sales.
But foldables aren’t just more popular—they’re more mature. The latest models are far more refined and durable than the clunky early attempts. Samsung has spent the last six years publicly revamping its folding smartphones—making small changes to the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series each year, improving screen durability and hinge reliability. These were the form factor’s biggest drawbacks in the early days of foldables, but advancements in glass technology and hinge engineering have brought the folding devices of 2024 closer to the level of quality you’d expect from a traditional smartphone. Samsung’s latest models have an IP48 water- and dust-resistance rating, and while they’re still not as dust-resistant as their nonfolding counterparts,
Samsung may have the longest track record, but there’s also a lot less competition, with Huawei and Motorola taking away a big chunk of Samsung’s market share, and new devices from OnePlus and Google competing for consumers’ attention. That means there’s more manufacturing capacity to make these folding phones, though they’re expensive – while Motorola offers a $700 folding flip phone, Samsung just raised the price of its handset.
All this activity going on in the market makes it the perfect time for Apple to get involved in the folding space.
Apple has reportedly tested products in two sizes, but this Greenlight project is for a folding flip phone, much like Motorola’s Razr or Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip6. Flip phones like this allow you to enjoy a full-sized smartphone, and then fold it in half to stow it in a pocket or bag. You get the same smartphone experience, but in a smaller package. There’s usually an external “cover screen,” and you can imagine Apple will likely build a way to access notifications, widgets, and even Siri (with its upcoming AI-infused improvements) there.
