Apple’s First Foldable iPhone May Have No Crease, Arrive in 2026

Apple’s foldable iPhone is all but confirmed. Multiple rumours and leaks have suggested its looks, how it would work, and its position among existing foldable devices. Some insiders have also shared what they claim is the purported launch timeline for the foldable iPhone. Adding to that pile is a new report that points to the launch of the foldable iPhone sometime next year and claims that it would be rid of the crease on the display.

Korean publication ETNews has reported, citing industry insiders, that Apple is close to handing out contracts to component suppliers for its foldable iPhone, with April as the expected timeframe for the process. After finalising suppliers, Apple is expected to move on to large-scale manufacturing of these parts sometime in the second half of 2025. Once the manufacturing of components goes into full swing, Apple could begin assembling them to produce its first foldable iPhone, likely ready for release in 2026. This information corroborates previous details by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

While Apple is late to the foldable party, analysts and enthusiasts have defended the delay with the company’s industry-leading product finesse, which, according to the report, will include a crease-free display. Smartphone brands such as Samsung and Huawei have struggled for years to make the crease disappear, but that “perfect” design has not come through. However, Apple reportedly seeks to achieve that design in its first foldable, even if it takes longer than expected. According to the report, that selling point could help Apple pitch its late entrant to potential buyers.

“If successful, this innovation could give Apple a significant competitive edge in the foldable smartphone market,” the report quoted an insider as saying.

According to the report, Apple is relying on Samsung Display — a market leader in the display manufacturing industry — to procure OLED panels for its foldable iPhone. The design may include an inner-folding screen, which will open like a book. An earlier report said the foldable iPhone may look like two giant iPad screens, so while the new information falls in line with previous expectations, it contradicts the screen dimensions. Specifications-wise, the report claims the foldable iPhone will have a 7.74-inch inner display and a 5.49-inch outer display. Although not official, those dimensions fall short of the industry’s current trend. For instance, Huawei has a tri-folding smartphone with a 10.2-inch screen while Google’s latest foldable Pixel has an 8-inch main display. Some earlier rumours have also said that Apple’s first foldable phone may use a flip mechanism instead, which could bring down the display specifications significantly. While there is still debate on what Apple's first foldable iPhone would end up looking like, it is advisable to take this information with a grain of salt.

Apple is reportedly sourcing ultra-thin glass (UTG) from Corning — which Apple has significantly invested in over the years. The foldable iPhone’s hinges, a crucial component for durability and utility, may come from Amphenol, a US-based firm that already supplies hinges for MacBook Pro.

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