After laughing at them at Samsung, Apple is going all out with its foldable iPhone

Surely you remember the news we released this week, when Samsung decided to mock Apple for its lack of innovation over the years. The ad, a Christmas classic, highlighted that Samsung has the best foldables on the market and that they dare to innovate.

Well, it is possible that next year Samsung may not be able to make a similar announcement, as according to new rumors, Tim Cook’s company would be in the process of developing its foldable phone. This is what we know.

According to the well-known informant Yeux1122 (via @Jukanlosreve on Twitter), the foldable iPhone has already entered the “formal development process” with screen manufacturers, or so claims a “supply chain source.”

Apple’s New Foldable Smartphone Enters Formal Development Process

According to yeux1122, Apple has recently entered the official development process for foldable smartphones in collaboration with display manufacturers.

In response, yeux1122 speculates that the timeline for form…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) November 27, 2024

Can we trust this leak?

To begin with, we would have to ask ourselves what “formal development process” means. This sounds like some kind of commitment has been made to actually get this device designed and manufactured, and to put the necessary components on the production line.

In other words: Apple officially wants to manufacture a foldable iPhone, if we give credit to this leak. According to the informant, Apple had been “gradually responding to the technology and key requirements.”

Apple is reportedly working on foldable iPhones with a clamshell design ?

The devices are in early development and would not launch until 2026 at the earliest. Would you buy a foldable iPhone?

Source: @theinformation pic.twitter.com/0TcPTEDQRD

— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) February 7, 2024

There is another interesting fact in this leak, and it is expected that Samsung advances the development of its own foldables -including next year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7- to counter the threat of a foldable iPhone.

We have previously heard that Samsung is working on new form factors and different prices to expand its line of foldable phones, and it seems that this expansion could now happen sooner due to Apple’s decision to formalize its plans.

As for what we can expect from a foldable iPhone, we have to choose from dozens of leaks and rumors over the years. If the formal manufacturing process of a foldable iPhone has just begun, it is unlikely that we will see it next year. September 2026 is probably a safer bet for a launch window, which would mean the device would debut alongside the iPhone 18.