iPhone Fold Production Ramped Up, Foldable Market Expected To Grow By 30% In 2026

Apple is largely rumoured to make its entry into the foldable smartphone space, with the new iPhone Fold later this year. With this, Apple looks to compete with Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei , who take up most of the space in the foldable smartphone segment. The iPhone Fold is likley to fuel adoption and grow the foldable market worldwide by over 30 percent.

Apple has procured a huge order from Samsung

Korean media ET News reports that Apple has locked in orders for a whopping 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display, split evenly between the inward-folding innards and outer screens. That translates to a target of roughly 10 million finished handsets once yields are factored in – a figure that smacks down initial industry chatter of just 6-8 million units, outpacing the entire global foldable market's yearly tally of around 20 million. If true, this is a bold move, especially as the Cupertino giant has played it cautious with foldables until now, letting others iron out the kinks.

This ramp-up comes hot on the heels of IDC's upbeat outlook, which pegs worldwide foldable shipments at 20.6 million for 2025 – a modest 10 percent bump year-on-year – before turbocharging to 30 percent growth in 2026, courtesy of fresh firepower like Apple's debut and Samsung's tri-fold smartphone as well. By then, foldables could claim over 10 percent of the total smartphone market in value terms by 2029, growing at a brisk 17 percent compound rate while standard smartphones limp along at under 1 percent. Analysts estimate that Apple will have a hefty 22 percent of units and 34 percent of revenue in the foldable segment by 2029.

IDC foresees Apple as the foldable kingpin

The real juice, though, lies in how Apple's move could jolt the pecking order. IDC sees the iPhone Fold as the 'game changer', prodding Samsung – the current pacesetter with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Trifold. For Apple, it's less about volume wars and more about premium punch. The iPhone Fold is likely to be priced at $2,400 (about Rs. 2,15,000), much higher than the Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7.

While Apple looks to bring the foldable in late 2026, hardware glitches or hinge issues may delay things to 2027.

iPhone Fold rumoured design

As for what the iPhone Fold may look like, the rumour mill suggests a book-style inward-folding device with a 5.5-inch outer screen for everyday snaps and a cavernous 7.8-inch inner canvas when unfurled – all wrapped in a hinge that's whisper-thin and crease-minimising. It is likely to have an under-display selfie camera, be powered by the next-gen A20 Pro chip, and a 5,400mAh battery.

Published on: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 12:34 PM IST