Now that the foldable smartphone form factor has largely matured, with Huawei having gone a step further by launching its tri-folding Mate XT, and Samsung planning to follow suit with a similar offering, Apple seems to have concluded that the time is ripe to finally launch a foldable iPhone. To do so, however, Apple will have to contend with a global demand profile that remains largely indifferent to the striking yet still-delicate form factor.
A Foldable iPhone is likely in the offing
Earlier in September, Nikkei Asia reported that Apple has held talks with its suppliers regarding the possibility of building a test production line for its planned foldable iPhones, with an eye towards a possible mass production cadence in India in 2026, corresponding to around 95 million units.
As we had noted at the time, Apple is reportedly targeting a 10 percent shipment growth for its smartphones in 2026, banking on incremental demand from its new foldable iPhone variant to achieve this feat.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, Apple shipped 232 million iPhones in 2024. Moreover, IDC forecasts that Apple is likely to achieve a 4 percent shipment growth in 2025, which equates to a total shipment volume of around 241 million units for the ongoing year. As such, a 10 percent growth from implied 2025 levels equates to a delta of around 265 million units. Of course, the new foldable iPhone would likely constitute a material if relatively low proportion of this planned growth.
As far as the iPhone Fold's form factor is concerned, it is likely to resemble two Apple iPhone Air smartphones intricately connected to form a horizontally folding device that looks and feels like a regular iPhone when furled. The device might even feature an under-screen camera. Unsurprisingly, the new device is expected to cost at least $2,000.
Apple Faces An Unenthusiastic Global Demand Profile For The Foldable Smartphone Form Factor
Recently, we highlighted a segment of a report by Canalys, which shows that Huawei is apparently killing it with its foldable smartphone lineup. The company is dominating the global foldable smartphone market, with a share of around 48 percent in the first half of 2025, even if the total shipment volume across all OEMs remains below 20 million units per annum.
Well, today we highlight another aspect of that report. Of the 5,000 people that Omdia recently surveyed across Brazil, Mainland China, France, India, and the United States, just 23 percent of the respondents declared that they had either already bought a foldable smartphone or mulling the acquisition of one, with a whopping 38 percent of the respondents expressing active dislike for the form factor.
This shows that Apple has its work cut out. Of course, the iPhone manufacturer is known for pushing products only after perfecting nearly every aspect. One can argue that Apple pushing a foldable iPhone would dramatically increase the awareness of this form factor among erstwhile unaware/disinterested cohorts.
It is perhaps because of this very factor that Canalys is projecting a whopping 54 percent growth in foldable smartphone shipments for 2026. Whether this projection turns into a reality, or is entirely discarded in hindsight, largely depends on Apple's design and marketing choices for the new foldable iPhone.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
