Samsung has been making foldable phones for five years, and its first foldable smartphone was launched in 2019. Over the years, the company has improved its foldable phones tremendously. However, Apple is still in no hurry to compete with Samsung, and its first foldable iPhone could compete with the Galaxy Z Flip 8.
First foldable iPhone could launch in September 2026 to compete with Galaxy Z Flip 8
According to Alpha Economy, Apple is targeting the year 2026 for the launch of its first foldable iPhone. The device will reportedly be launched in September 2026, and that is the time frame when Samsung could launch the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The South Korean publication also claims that Apple is targeting the sale of around 50 million units of the foldable iPhone. That figure is double the entire foldable smartphone shipment estimate globally in 2023.
Apparently, Samsung is shifting some of its employees from the Vision Pro development team to the foldable iPhone development team. However, it would be best to approach this report with caution, as there have been several false rumors about foldable iPhones in the past. And it would be better to wait for information from more reliable sources such as Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo.
Previous reports claimed that Apple would launch a foldable iPad Mini before launching a foldable iPhone to gauge the interest in foldable devices. By the time Apple launches a foldable iPhone, Samsung needs to improve its Galaxy Z series phones to a near-perfect level in terms of durability, feature set, and longevity. It also needs to bring something extra in terms of software and foldable-specific apps and games, which is where Apple always gets ahead.
