A new report out of Korea claims Apple’s first foldable iPhone has been delayed until at least 2027, and maybe longer, due to technical challenges.
According to Alpha Biz (via DigiTimes), Apple executives have Apple higher-ups have adjusted the target date for the launch of the foldable iPhone from the fourth quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027. Despite the delay, major component manufacturers such as display suppliers are expected to proceed according to the original schedule.
Apple is reportedly working on two iPhone prototypes that fold widthwise like a clamshell. Samsung Securities recently claimed that Apple’s first foldable iPhone will feature a 6-inch external display and an 8-inch main display.
A report from the Korean publication The Elec last month said Apple is also mulling the launch of a 7- to 8-inch device that could ultimately replace the 8.3-inch iPad mini.
However, the above rumors haven’t stopped analysts from reporting that Apple may abandon its foldable iPhone project at least in the short term because the company feels that existing foldable technology is not ready to provide the kind of next-generation application its engineers and designers have in mind.
A Chinese rumor from last month claimed that Apple had suspended its foldable phone plans after supplier sample displays failed to pass the Cupertino firm’s stringent testing standards.
Apple is said to have been testing foldable phones from rivals since 2016 as part of its research and development process into foldable devices.
The company is reportedly struggling a bit in its search for a way to eliminate the crease that eventually appears in a folding display due to repeated folding and unfolding. It is also said to be working on a new hinge design that would allow the display to lie completely flat, without the bump or dip in the middle seen in Apple’s competitors’ devices.