Apple’s foldable iPhone reveal likely in 2026 — with delivery delays

When veteran Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo talks, the markets listen. That’s because Kuo, based in Hong Kong, sits in the middle of Apple’s Asia-Pacific supply chain; He knows all the vendors, sees Apple in motion whenever a new iPhone is in the works, and is usually on the money.

In a new interview, Kuo says the iPhone Fold – Apple’s first smartphone with a folding screen – is real, and it’s coming next year. But he also warned that the company is struggling to make them fast enough to meet potentially huge demand. (Probably largely because…come on. folding, iPhone,

“Development of the foldable iPhone is lagging behind earlier expectations, but a product announcement is still expected in the second half of 2026,” Kuo wrote in the summary of his interview. “Due to early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges, smooth shipments may not occur until 2027. With limited supply and expected strong demand, foldable iPhones may face shortages until at least late 2026.”

Translation: The iPhone-making machines in the Kuo part of the world, on which the Cupertino company still relies, aren’t moving fast enough and don’t have enough materials. Therefore, many customers will find that they cannot get the top item on their Christmas list in 2026.

mashable light speed

And that means we’re looking at another iPhone 14 Pro/Max situation. That’s where – as Kuo predicted at the time – many customers found them out of stock at Apple Stores until 2023, despite an October 2022 launch.

This isn’t the only reason you might be disappointed with the iPhone Fold. Second reason: its price.

Another analyst in the field pegged the potential cost at $2,399, which is on the higher end of other analyst estimates. You can get at least two MacBook Air laptops for that price (and maybe even three with the M4 chip at current prices).

This may be too much for many consumers, especially if the economy goes into recession following the AI ​​bubble. Which would mean a reduction in demand, which would mean that if you really want to spend all that cost for the iPhone Fold, you might have a chance to get one in time to take candid shots with its cameras (two on the front, two on the back, according to rumor) on New Year’s Eve 2026.