Apple's First Foldable iPhone Reportedly Nears Launch, Targeting Samsung's Biggest Weakness

After years of letting rivals like Samsung and Huawei test the waters, Apple is finally ready to ship a foldable iPhone, according to multiple supply chain and display industry reports. The device, expected in 2026, is said to focus on solving the one problem that has dogged the category since its inception: the visible crease.

Display analyst Ross Young of DSCC, who has a reliable history predicting Apple's screen moves, states the foldable iPhone's hinge crease will be about one-quarter the depth of the crease on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. If true, this would make Apple's crease so shallow it might be hard to see or feel, a direct challenge to Samsung's engineering.

The crease is a physical byproduct of bending a flexible OLED screen repeatedly. While Samsung has improved its hinge and ultra-thin glass over several generations, a noticeable indentation remains. Apple, by contrast, appears to have waited until it could minimize this flaw. Reports suggest a wider hinge radius, thinner custom OLED panels from Samsung Display and LG Display, and new materials that resist permanent deformation.

The device is rumored to unfold to a 7.9-inch screen, slightly larger than Samsung's foldables, and could include Apple's own 5G modem and ProMotion display tech. Its price will likely set a new high for iPhones.

Samsung now faces pressure from both Apple's impending premium entry and increasingly sleek, affordable foldables from Chinese makers like Huawei and Honor. Apple's strategy hinges on convincing consumers that, this time, a foldable phone isn't a compromise. By focusing relentlessly on erasing the crease, Apple isn't just joining the market—it's attempting to redefine its standards from day one.