The mythical “iPhone Fold” finally seems to be real. After years of rumors, Apple’s first foldable device has reportedly moved into its final engineering and pre-production phase.
According to a new report from the Economic Daily News, the design is basically locked in. Supply chain insiders were quoted saying Apple is done with the experimental phase and is now just tweaking the final details. This is a huge signal that the company is aiming to get this thing on shelves by late 2026.
Apparently, Apple has been working on this for over five years, but only recently gave the green light on the final hardware. Trial production is already kicking off, and suppliers are starting to stockpile parts to get ready for the massive orders coming their way.
Analysts are already predicting big numbers. They expect Apple to ship around 7 to 9 million units in the first year alone. If that happens, Apple could instantly grab a massive 30-40% chunk of the global foldable market – stealing the spotlight from Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola overnight.
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
Why It Matters – and What to Expect Next
The smartphone market has been a bit boring lately, but an Apple foldable could shake things up.
The most exciting rumor? The screen. While current foldable phones from Samsung or Google still have that visible crease down the middle, insiders claim Apple has found a way to eliminate it entirely. If the “iPhone Fold” launches with a genuinely smooth, seamless screen, it will solve the biggest complaint people have with this tech.
It’s also expected to share some DNA with the iPhone 17 Pro, borrowing its premium materials and possibly its cooling tech.
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends
For the supply chain geeks: standard big players like Samsung (screens) and TSMC (chips) are on board. But other partners like Shin Zu Shing (hinges) and Chi Hong (cooling) are also gearing up for a busy year.
For the rest of us, this is the biggest shift in iPhone design since the iPhone X lost the home button. Whether you love Apple or hate them, their entry usually forces everyone else to step up their game.
What’s next?
If these trial runs go smoothly, we’re looking at mass production starting sometime in 2025. That puts the official launch likely in late 2026. Expect the leak floodgates to open soon—once suppliers start making millions of these, keeping secrets becomes impossible.
