Apple’s Foldable iPhone Could Arrive Next Year, JPM Predicts

Is Apple preparing to introduce an entirely new iPhone design?

A foldable version of the company’s flagship smartphone could arrive next fall, CNBC reported Tuesday (July 29), citing an analysis by JPMorgan.

“With the upgrades to the iPhone 17 series to be released this fall expected to be fairly limited, investor focus has already turned to the 2026 fall launches with Apple expected to launch its first foldable iPhone as part of the iPhone 18 lineup in September 2026, featuring a book-style fold similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series,” analyst Samik Chatterjee wrote.

The analyst added that the foldable phone would feature a smaller inner and outer display than its Samsung counterpart. The foldable iPhone 18 may also come with a crease-free inner display, given that the industry expects Samsung to roll out similar technology with its Galaxy Z Fold 8 in 2026, the analyst said.

Another prediction: the new phone will cost $1,999 and could introduce a $65 billion revenue opportunity for Apple.

The report adds that other analysts like TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo have also predicted that Apple will make a folding iPhone next year, a device that will come with “premium pricing.”

Last year saw Huawei, one of Apple’s biggest smartphone rivals in the crucial Chinese market, debut its own foldable phone just ahead of the debut of the iPhone 16, which featured Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) offerings.

Meanwhile, PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote earlier this month that Apple’s troubles in China are part of a larger range of headaches facing the tech giant.

As that report noted, the company’s share of smartphone shipments was stuck at 13.9%, in fifth place behind domestic brands, such as Huawei. Its installed base, according to recent smartphone sales data, was flat at 23% to 24%, with a slight bump during the second quarter driven by subsidies.

“Geopolitical risk makes that market even more volatile. A crackdown from Beijing on American tech companies could force Apple to exit,” Webster wrote.

“A Taiwan conflict could imperil chip supply. At the same time, Apple faces tariff threats from both the U.S. and China. That leaves Tim Cook navigating a shrinking margin in Apple’s most important growth market while sweating about a fragile supply chain.”