Apple is expected to unveil its foldable iPhone by 2026, according to a Tuesday report by The Information, which could represent a significant hardware design overhaul for the company's best-selling product. The California-based tech giant's strategy to launch a foldable iPhone mirrors Samsung Electronics' approach, which introduced the foldable segment in 2019 to draw in new customers with a substantial hardware refresh. The report, citing two insiders, reveals that Apple's foldable iPhone has moved beyond the conceptual phase. The company has contacted Asian suppliers to manufacture components for the device, and has internally designated the product with the code name V68.
Foldable smartphones, enhanced with AI features, are anticipated to boost demand for Apple, which is facing intense competition from Honor and Huawei in China and Samsung worldwide. Samsung showcased its newest foldable smartphones in early July, featuring a lighter and slimmer design with advanced AI capabilities. The global foldable smartphone market expanded by 49% in the first quarter, the highest growth rate in six quarters, with Huawei surpassing Samsung to lead the market, as per a Counterpoint Research report from May.
Apple is also planning to enhance the camera of at least one iPhone model, allowing users to adjust the aperture size mechanically, potentially enabling depth-of-field effects. The Information report notes that there is no certainty regarding the release of Apple's foldable iPhone. Apple has yet to respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
