- Apple’s foldable iPhone could launch in 2026, a new leak claims
- The report contains many details and specs for the device
- There’s also a mention of the foldable iPad/MacBook
Rumors have been flying for months that Apple is secretly building a foldable iPhone, but the actual details of the device have remained largely hidden from view. Now, though, a leaker has spilled the beans on what we might be able to expect from Apple’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 rival, with everything from release date to design being brought into the light of day.
The speculation comes from long-time leaker Jukanlosreve on X, an account that has posted a steady stream of tech-related leaks on the platform. And according to the post, Apple might launch the foldable iPhone as soon as fall 2026, putting it roughly 18 months away.
While the rumors should be taken with a very large pinch of salt, there are five particularly interesting new details. Firstly, the post explains that “progress on small foldable phones is minimal; the focus is on large foldable phones.” How large are we talking? Jukanlosreve said the foldable iPhone will be 9.2mm thick when folded, with an unfolded single-side width of 4.6mm. Also, “the internal screen is comparable to two 6.1‑inch phones folded together,” Jukanlosreve explained, “resulting in a total size of over 12 inches.”
As for the hinge, this supposedly “utilizes Apple’s design solution” and “features a large folding mechanism on the left rear side.” The company has previously been rumored to be working on a hinge that shows no visible crease in the display, something that even the best foldable phones have failed to eliminate.
Fourthly, there’s an intriguing hint about the foldable iPhone’s battery – it will reportedly have a capacity of 5,000mAh. That would put it ahead of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is Apple’s longest-lived iPhone and has been claimed to have a 4,685mAh capacity (Apple doesn’t list the battery specs on its website).
Whether that will actually mean the foldable iPhone lasts longer on one charge is up for debate, though, as it has to power two displays instead of just one.
Digging into the details
The final interesting detail in this leak is that, surprisingly, Jukanlosreve’s post only mentions the foldable iPhone having two rear cameras – with main and ultra-wide lenses discussed, but a telephoto lens being absent.
This could mean that Apple is cutting features in a bid to keep costs down on an otherwise very expensive device (similar to the rumored iPhone 17 Air, which will apparently only have one rear camera). Or it could simply be that the telephoto lens will be present but Jukanlosreve does not have all the details on it yet.
The post estimates that Apple will sell 8-10 million units in 2026, then 20 million units in 2027. That’s well down on iPhone 16 sales numbers, but given how niche (and pricey) the foldable will be, it’s not surprising either.
And there was one more juicy tidbit nestled in the report: 2027 could see the launch of a “foldable iPad/MacBook.” This has been mentioned before, with highly accurate leaker Mark Gurman predicting its release date will fall in 2028. Does that mean the schedule has moved forward? We’ll have to see who is correct over the next few years.
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