Apple is looking to shake up its iPhone release schedule next year, with plans to launch a record six models in 2026, according to The Information. Typically, Apple unveils four new iPhones around September, but that could change with the anticipated debut of the first foldable iPhone next year.
According to the report, the iPhone 18 Pro models, first foldable iPhone and a new iPhone 18 Air could be unveiled together, while the vanilla iPhone 18 may arrive earlier in Spring 2026, alongside the successor to the iPhone 16e.
Beyond the foldable iPhone, Apple is also said to be working on a premium ‘Pro’ model for next year featuring more expensive glass, per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This special edition is expected to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary, though exact details remain unclear.
iPhone Fold: What we know so far
The foldable iPhone is likely to adopt a book-style design, diverging from earlier rumours of a clamshell approach. As per The Information, the iPhone Fold could feature a 5.7-inch screen when folded and open up to a display measuring just under 8 inches (7.8 inches to be precise).
Apple has reportedly selected Samsung Display as the exclusive supplier for the upcoming device’s OLED panels, as per a 9To5Mac report. According to industry sources cited byBusinessKorea, Samsung is the only display maker that has met Apple’s exacting standards when it comes to crease minimisation. Apple’s other display partners, LG Display and China’s BOE, are understood to have fallen short of the necessary technological benchmarks, leaving Samsung as the sole provider, at least for the first generation of Apple’s foldable device.
Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously suggested the iPhone Fold could be between 4.5mm to 4.8mm thick, drawing inspiration from the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Apple is also believed to have developed a method to eliminate visible creases on the foldable display.
The device could is said to carry a price tag of around $2,000 and is likely to feature Face ID instead of Touch ID. In terms of optics, the phone may sport a punch-hole selfie camera on the front and a dual-camera setup at the rear.