Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone is getting ready to enter the prototype stage, with a late 2026 launch in sight now. Per a Digitimes report on Thursday citing sources in Apple’s supply chain, the foldable iPhone entered its P1 prototyping stage last month. The device wil undergo nominal phases of a standard prototype progression (P1 to P3), as well as an Engineering Verification Test (EVT) phase.
The foldable iPhone is said to be on a similar product development cycle used by Apple for its previous products, with two months for each prototype stage. These initial phases will provide the company’s primary manufacturing partners—Foxconn and Pegatron—time to run limited trial builds and confirm yields, and evaluate the manufacturability of Apple’s notebooks before it enters mass production.
Production Timeline and Early Estimates
Assuming Apple keeps to its schedule, the foldable iPhone will go into EVT in late 2025 and then enter mass production. The device’s initial build order is expected to hover over 7 million units, but that number is still up in the air depending on market readiness and company success metrics.
This prototype milestone cements Apple’s intentions to get into the foldable smartphone business, and closer in its direct challenge against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Google Pixel Fold.
Foldable iPhone Specifications (Expected)
The rumored foldable iPhone could have the following based off leaks and early reports:
- A 7.8-inch inner display
- A 5.5-inch cover display
- A durable hinge made from liquid metal
- A side-mounted Touch ID sensor
- When folded: 9.2mm thickness
- When unfolded: 4.6mm thickness
With the premium design and parts, to attribute certainly expect a price tag of $2,300 (around Rs 1,99,000).
iPad Foldable Plans Reportedly Shelved
In addition to the foldable iPhone, Apple was also said to be developing a foldable iPad. But this parallel project has been suspended as the company has faced tough issues like high costs of production, struggle to maintain yield rate for foldable displays and uncertain demand for foldable models in large sizes.
Industry sources expect Apple to heavily focus on perfecting the foldable iPhone experience first and then expand its foldable product strategy to other product lines.
Apple’s Entry in the Market With a Foldable to Shake the Market
Apple is set to shake up the foldable smartphone market with its foldable iPhone. The participation of a brand of Apple’s stature and ecosystem power could be instrumental in accelerating consumer acceptance of folding devices worldwide.
Apple will have its work cut out when it eventually launches a foldable, given that Samsung is already on the market, while Google, and a host of Chinese OEMs are playing catch up with foldables of their own. Now we just need to see how Apple’s version stands apart — in innovation, and user experience, and integration with its ecosystem.
