Apple's first foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" display crease and should be on the market by 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that some people at Apple consider the foldable iPhone to be one of two major two-decade anniversary initiatives – the other being a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, due later the same year.
Gurman's latest comments appear to indicate a shift in his position about the launch schedule of the foldable device. In March, Gurman said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026." Then again in March, Gurman said: "I expect the company to launch its own foldable phone next year," suggesting his conviction had strengthened that 2026 would indeed be the year of the foldable iPhone.
In April, however, Gurman's reporting about the roadmap of Apple's foldable devices became more obscure. Describing a "major shake-up" for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, Gurman said that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.
Given that Gurman had previously said he expects Apple's first foldable iPhone to be released next year, logic seemed to dictate that the "foldable version" he now said was coming in 2027 would be a second iteration of that model.
This no longer appears to be the case. Gurman did not give any explanation as to why his latest reporting has changed on the launch schedule of the foldable.
According to a recent report by The Information and a roadmap prediction by industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple does intend to launch its first foldable iPhone in the second half of next year, so there is still hope that, despite Gurman silently walking back his earlier reporting, we might get a foldable device from Apple as soon as 2026.
The device is expected to have a book-style design with a 5.7-inch outer display when closed and an inner display close to eight inches when open. As for pricing, Gurman expects the device to be around $2,000.
Update: Gurman has since clarified his position on the foldable iPhone's launch timing, saying his column "is talking about items that will either launch or be in market for 2027. It'll launch end of '26 and sell mostly in '27."
