The foldable iPhone will be released in the second half of 2026, while the foldable iPad is delayed

It’s now been revealed by what tentative date Apple plans to release its near-mythical foldable iPhone. The foldable iPad, on the other hand, has been delayed for a number of reasons – one of the main ones being that it has proved too expensive to produce.

Apple’s late-but-fashionable entry into the foldable device market will begin in the second half of next year. The company was previously expected to release the device earlier to compete with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. However, it’s now clear that Apple’s marketing strategy is built around unveiling the foldable iPhone as the “best iPhone ever”, planned alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.

Apple’s marketing strategy is now being built around unveiling the foldable iPhone as the “best iPhone ever”, scheduled alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.

The screen specs of one of the foldable iPhone prototypes leaked online earlier. Mass production is expected to begin soon – indicating that the final specs have already been confirmed. Sources in the supply chain say Apple has been paying extremely close attention to the project, with rework reaching double digits in more than five years of development.

The main reason for all these delays and design changes is the company’s desire to release a foldable smartphone without a visible bend in the screen. However, if the leaked specs are correct, the device is already inferior in a number of ways to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which will be released later this year.

And if the leaked specs are correct, the device is already inferior to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Apple will promote the foldable iPhone as “the best thing since the iPhone 18 Pro Max”. However, in 2027, the company plans to surpass that device as well by releasing an anniversary model, the iPhone Pro for the 20th anniversary of the lineup. It is expected to have no screen notches. It was originally thought that the foldable iPhone would be timed to coincide with that date, but that idea appears to have been abandoned.

The company has also been working on another foldable device, a large 18.8-inch unfolded iPad. It was supposed to come out in 2026, but the project has been temporarily frozen.

The company has also been working on another foldable device, a large 18.8-inch foldable iPad.

According to the report, development of the foldable iPad has been put on hold due to the complexity and cost of production, as well as low expected demand. That’s not surprising: the device could be very expensive, and Apple probably doesn’t want a repeat of the Vision Pro situation.

And it’s not surprising that the device could be very expensive, and Apple probably doesn’t want a repeat of the Vision Pro situation.

There may be another reason for the delay. It was previously reported that Apple was planning to integrate Face ID under the screen in a foldable iPad. This technology is still expected in the iPhone 18, but the company may have decided to delay the release of the foldable iPad until the iPhone’s anniversary in 2027.

Another reason for the delay may be that the company has decided to delay the release of the foldable iPad until the iPhone’s anniversary in 2027.

It’s possible that a notch-less iPad – with Face ID hidden beneath the display – will come out then, too. Though it’s unclear whether Apple would want to eclipse the iPhone in such an important year for the brand.

It’s also unclear whether Apple would want to eclipse the iPhone in such an important year.

In any case, Apple users have plenty of new products to look forward to in the coming years: a redesigned iPhone 17 Pro, a new iPhone 17 Air model, an updated iPhone 18, an anniversary iPhone Pro, a foldable iPhone, and even a more affordable MacBook based on the iPhone processor.

The Foldable iPhone will come out in the second half of 2026, and Foldable iPad delayed was first published on ITZine.ru.