Apple’s expected foldable iPhone puts rivals on a wider track

Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone on 9 September, seven years after Samsung’s Galaxy Fold first went on sale. The release would be John Ternus’ first hardware launch as Apple chief executive, although Apple has not officially announced or teased the device in the supplied material.

Reports cited by The Verge describe a passport-shaped phone that could launch alongside Pro iPhone models. Some regular iPhone 18 models are reportedly expected to arrive in early 2027, while the foldable and Pro models could be released first.

The expected design comes as Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi have released, or are reported to be developing, similarly wide foldables. Oppo and Honor are also tipped to be considering comparable products. The Verge argues Apple may have influenced the emerging form factor, but the source material does not establish which manufacturer developed it first or whether rivals copied Apple.

Foldables remain a small segment of the smartphone market. Counterpoint, as cited by The Verge, estimated that they accounted for 1.6 per cent of smartphone sales in 2025 and forecast shipments to grow by 20 per cent in 2026. Apple could take 28 per cent of the market after launch, according to that estimate.

The projections remain dependent on an unconfirmed launch, design and availability. The reported role of Samsung as a display supplier is also unconfirmed.