You Likely Won’t Be Able To Get Your Hands On The iPhone Fold Until December 2026, Says A Barclays Analyst

By now, almost every tech enthusiast knows that Apple is likely to announce its much-anticipated iPhone Fold alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September 2026. However, a Barclays analyst now believes that Apple's foldable iPhone won't start shipping until the very tail-end of the ongoing year.

A Barclays analyst believes Apple won't ship the iPhone Fold until December 2026

Barclays analyst, Tim Long, noted in a research note earlier in March that Apple might only be able to ship the iPhone Fold in December 2026. Do note that Tim Cook had flagged TSMC's choked capacity for advanced nodes and the ongoing memory upheaval as key concerns in a recent earnings call.

Of course, it is entirely possible that Apple's delayed shipments for the iPhone Fold are a part of its staggered launch strategy to better manage the constrained supply of the next-gen A20 Pro chip, which is expected to power the iPhone Fold as well as the iPhone 18 Pro duo.

However, the analyst then casts a slight pall over his projections by stating that Apple might launch either the iPhone Air 2 or the iPhone 18 Plus alongside the base iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e in March 2027. This is the first time that we are hearing of an iPhone 18 Plus, which takes away from the overall accuracy of the analyst's projections.

We've already reported that, according to Taiwan's Economic Daily, the depth of the crease on the iPhone Fold would be a minuscule 0.15mm. This would likely require a copious use of the Ultra-thin Flexible Glass (UFG) tech that Apple is said to have tested extensively, as well as a modified hinge mechanism made out of 'liquid metal.'

Meanwhile, according to a fresh report out of South Korea, Apple is apparently eyeing a base price of around $2,000 for the upcoming iPhone Fold, which, if realized, would constitute a substantial discount to the heretofore rumored price of between $2,300 and $2,400.

This comes as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported recently that the iOS version on the iPhone Fold will sport "iPad-like layouts and side-by-side apps for the first time, enhancing the device’s appeal for multitasking," albeit with a simpler multitasking system instead of the more desktop-like UI introduced in iPadOS 26. Also, the internal screen on the device is expected to be the size of an iPad, replete with a wider aspect ratio, while the outer screen would resemble "the size of the display on a small iPhone." This aligns with previous reports that had postulated a passport-like, wide form factor for the device.

According to Gurman, the iPhone Fold's external display will sport a small hole-punch cutout, albeit with the Dynamic Island UI for viewing notifications. Also, Apple has removed the Face ID system in its entirety and instead integrated Touch ID into the side button. As for the inner display, while Apple is still experimenting with an under-display camera, ongoing tests have only produced images with subpar quality, dramatically reducing the tech's probability of showing up on production-ready iPhone Fold units. The device will also feature a dual rear camera setup, with previous reports alluding to a 48MP resolution for both cameras.

Finally, do note that previous reporting has indicated that Apple plans to apply a color filter - called the COE or Color Filter on Encapsulation - onto the protective encapsulation layer of the iPhone Fold's OLED panel, rendering the resulting displays lighter and much more efficient.

Other details include:

1. A dedicated vapor chamber.
2. A 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
3. Side-mounted Touch ID instead of Face ID.
4. A20 Pro SoC, 12GB RAM, in-house C2 5G modem.
5. A 48MP resolution for the rear dual-camera setup.
6. A selfie camera with a resolution of up to 24MP.
7. A battery with a capacity of 5,400-5,800mAh.
8. To launch as an eSIM-only variant.

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