Apple seems to be preparing one of the most striking release schedules in its recent history. There is talk of no less than five new models between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, and among all of them, one is especially protagonist: the (long rumored) foldable iPhone. The curious thing is not that Apple is launching it at this point, but that it is quite optimistic about said model.
More foldable than expected. According to indicate in Nikkei Asia Sources close to Apple’s plans, Apple has asked its suppliers to prepare to manufacture about 10 million foldable iPhones this year. This is a figure clearly higher than the 7-8 million that were estimated recently, and this “doubled” commitment to the format is certainly surprising.
risky bet. Firstly, because folding devices have never managed to achieve massive success in the mobile phone market. They are a very striking niche, but one in which manufacturers have not achieved the success they probably expected. And second and most important, because there is no oven (from the mobile industry) for buns. The memory crisis It is having a brutal impact in many areas, and the smartphone market is no exception: is preparing for the worst year in its entire history, in fact.
Muscle is muscle. The company has already reserved components for 80 million smartphones for the second half of 2026 alone, and its total production for the year will exceed 220 million units, according to that newspaper. It is a spectacular figure, especially considering that its competitors in China, with brands such as Xiaomi, Oppo or Vivo, have had to cut its production by at least 100 million units due to the shortage of memory and other components. But of course, Apple is a lot of Apple, and its negotiating power with suppliers is spectacular.
Staggered releases. For months it has been rumored that Apple will follow a very special launch route. Theoretically, it has decided to postpone the launch of the standard iPhone until the first half of 2027 to focus all the autumn prominence on the premium models: iPhone 18 Pro (if it is finally called that), Pro Max and of course that first foldable iPhone. It has even asked its suppliers to reserve components already used in the iPhone 17 for the future iPhone 18: It is another way to protect yourself from the shortage that is strangling the rest of the industry.
In spring 2027, two more models. And as we said, while this fall we will see how the super high-end iPhone catalog is renewed, in the first half of 2027 We will foreseeably see the standard iPhone 18 and, attention, a new iPhone Air. There are apparently plans to renew its more affordable models, although at the moment there are no details on how it will be done. Be that as it may, the 2026-2027 academic year seems like it will become one of the most ambitious for Apple just at a terrible time for the industry.
The hinge is no longer a problem. The great challenge with folding devices has always been the hinge: the screen ended up showing signs of the fold in that central area of the screen when unfolded, and no manufacturer had solved the problem until now. That threatened the launch of the Apple device, but it seems that the company has managed to overcome this challengewhich would make your device one of the most striking in that niche.
Prices, the great threat. a week ago Apple announced price increases of 20% on average throughout its catalog. It was a splash of cold water for consumers, and that highlighted that not even the Cupertino company could avoid the memory crisis. The question, of course, is how those new policies will affect future iPhone prices. Is this increase a preview of another that will arrive in the fall? Or has Apple preferred to give bad news now to maintain prices later? The unknown is there, and it can mark the purchasing decision of millions of consumers.
In Xataka | I thought that in 2026 I could buy a cheap cell phone without worrying about anything. big mistake
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