First foldable iPhone tipped for 2026 and to be like an iPad mini when opened

Unlike competitors like Samsung and Google, Apple is yet to enter the foldable phone market, but that is surely going to change sooner or later. Reports have so far suggested that the first foldable device to come out of Apple Park will be something similar to a 20-inch laptop device, but a new report suggests something more iPad-like is in the air.

That's according to a report by The Elec citing Omdia Kang Min-soo. They were speaking at the 2024 Korea Display Conference and when attention turned to Apple's foldable plans, they made it clear that we might not have to wait too much longer for Apple to enter the foldable fray.

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According to the report Apple is expected to launch a foldable iPhone in 2026 with a display size of around seven or eight inches. Such a size would make the unfolded iPhone into something more akin to an iPad mini - the current iPad mini has an 8.3-inch display. It's thought that Apple could use the fact that the iPhone can turn into an iPad mini-like device as a key differentiator, especially when compared to competing foldable devices from the companies mentioned earlier. It remains to be seen whether iPad-like features, such as Stage Manager, would make the move to iOS as part of that move, however.

Apple is rarely the first to enter a market which is why it's no surprise that it is relatively late to launching its first foldable iPhone. But it will surely happen at some point, although only likely when Apple is convinced that it has been able to deal with any display shortcomings - including the dreaded crease.

The creases shown down the center of foldable phones have started to get much better in recent years and while they are still definitely visible, they are nowhere near as prominent as they once were.

If Apple is indeed going to launch the foldable iPhone as soon as 2026 that could mean that it will roll out alongside the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models. It isn't yet known how Apple would market a foldable iPhone, although the iPhone Ultra name is still free of course. It's possible Apple could choose to sit the foldable iPhone above the already-expensive iPhone Pro Max models and the iPhone Ultra name could definitely help in this regard. We can likely expect the foldable iPhone to be a costly beast but it remains to be seen just how costly it will actually be.