First foldable iPhone now tipped for a 2026 launch as suppliers ready components for a familiar clamshell design

(Image credit: Future)

After years of rumors amid launches from competitors like Samsung and Google, Apple might finally be readying a foldable phone of its own. A new report suggests the first foldable iPhone will arrive in 2026.

The report, citing unnamed sources "with direct knowledge of the matter," claims that Apple has started to reach out to suppliers with a view to having them build the components for such a device.

However, amid rumors of a possible foldable MacBook or tablet, this report suggests that Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature a clamshell design similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. This means that the foldable iPhone will not have additional functionality, unlike a device like the Pixel Pro 9 Fold, a device that turns a phone into a tablet with a large screen on command.

Bend it like Samsung

The report by The Information says that Apple has now given the project an internal code name, suggesting that the foldable iPhone has taken a step closer to reality. The device, called V68 internally, could take longer to move from concept to production than a standard iPhone, the report notes, despite the 2026 window previously suggested.

Issues Apple is thought to be dealing with include a reluctance to launch a foldable device before the telltale screen crease can be eradicated, while concerns over thickness are also a factor. However, with the 2025 iPhone 17 Slim thought to be the thinnest iPhone ever it's possible that development on that model could aid that of the foldable iPhone.

Long before any of those handsets launch, Apple is expected to ship the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models this September alongside the launch of iOS 18 and the Apple Intelligence beta.

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Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.