Apple is reportedly engaged on its first foldable iPhone, placing the corporate head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable telephones since 2019, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold in 2023.
On Tuesday, MacRumor reported that Apple’s foldable cellphone will likely be launched subsequent September, in 2026, with the iPhone 18 lineup, in line with a JPMorgan investor letter.
Bloomberg managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy fee in the case of Apple rumors, reported earlier this month that Apple will enter the foldable cellphone market within the latter half of 2026.
With merchandise just like the iPhone and Apple Watch, Apple entered every market early and helped form what the mainstream model of the product would appear to be.
With the foldable iPhone, Apple will take a special strategy, utilizing what works for Samsung as a substitute of making a dramatically new interface or growing modern {hardware}. Gurman reported that Apple’s gadget will look much like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line and incorporate most of the similar elements, together with foldable OLED screens.
Apple will nonetheless intention to enhance elements of Samsung’s design, tackling the weaknesses of foldable gadgets just like the seen inside show crease and the inside hinge mechanism. The iPhone maker can even introduce new software program options subsequent yr, particularly designed for foldable telephones.
The worth level of an Apple foldable cellphone will likely be round $1,999, in line with new reviews. Gurman additionally cited round that quantity, which has similarities to choices from Samsung and Google. Samsung’s newest Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999, whereas the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold is $1,799.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphone. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg through Getty Photographs
Gross sales of the Samsung Z Fold 7 are larger than the earlier era, per Bloomberg, and it is obtained constructive evaluations from tech websites. Home windows Central referred to as it “a winner,” whereas Mashable praised the cellphone’s “nearly unbelievably smooth type issue.” Samsung introduced the cellphone earlier this month, and it is going to be obtainable for buy beginning this Friday.
Although Apple’s foldable iPhone could look much like Samsung’s, it may nonetheless profit from Apple’s attain. Apple holds 57% of the U.S. smartphone market as of the primary quarter of the yr, in comparison with Samsung’s 25%, per Counterpoint Analysis.
Nevertheless, Samsung has traditionally dominated the worldwide foldable smartphone market, promoting over 66% of the 15.9 million foldable telephones offered in 2023, per TrendForce.
Associated: Apple Is Reportedly Creating New Foldable iPads and iPhones. Right here Are the Particulars.
Foldable telephones are a distinct segment class, having by no means accounted for greater than 2% of the smartphone market as a complete, per Counterpoint Analysis. Gurman means that Apple may make it mainstream when it enters the class subsequent yr.
Apple is the third most respected firm on the planet, on the time of writing, with a market capitalization of $3.2 trillion.
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Apple is reportedly engaged on its first foldable iPhone, placing the corporate head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable telephones since 2019, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold in 2023.
On Tuesday, MacRumor reported that Apple’s foldable cellphone will likely be launched subsequent September, in 2026, with the iPhone 18 lineup, in line with a JPMorgan investor letter.
Bloomberg managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy fee in the case of Apple rumors, reported earlier this month that Apple will enter the foldable cellphone market within the latter half of 2026.
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