According to media reports, Apple executives have confirmed that the first foldable iPhone will be delayed until 2026. This news has surged to the hot search.
Institutional analysis shows that with the continuous increase in research and development investment by mobile phone manufacturers and upstream supply chains, hardware technology has matured, software system applications have been optimized, and consumer experience has been continuously enhanced. The further decline in prices has also made more consumers willing to try using foldable screen phones.
The first foldable screen iPhone may be launched in 2026
On March 8th, the US Patent and Trademark Office announced Apple's patent application for foldable screen technology.
According to media reports, Apple executives have responded to this patent by stating that after careful consideration by the company, it has been confirmed that the first foldable iPhone will be delayed until 2026, which is later than expected internally.
The executive stated that due to the later launch of the foldable screen iPhone compared to competitors, more advanced technologies will be adopted.
He stated that the foldable iPhone is expected to be thinner and lighter than its competitors, and its internal goals also include avoiding crease issues.
Guo Minggui, an analyst at Tianfeng International, recently stated that the latest survey shows that Apple currently has the only foldable product with a clear development schedule, which is the MacBook laptop equipped with approximately 20.3-inch displays and expected to be mass-produced in 2027.
The shipment volume of foldable screen smartphones is growing strongly
Since 2019, Samsung and Huawei have entered the fold screen smartphone market. Currently, leading smartphone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Honor are all making efforts in the fold screen market. As a global leader in the consumer electronics industry, Apple has been slow to move in this market and has yet to launch foldable phones.
Market research firm Counterpoint believes that Chinese smartphone manufacturers have played an important role in driving the growth of the foldable screen market. With a mature supply chain and software ecosystem, including close cooperation with China's Internet partners, and a constantly evolving product lineup, China has become the world's largest folding screen smartphone market.
From the perspective of the Chinese market, an IDC report shows that since the first product was launched in 2019, the shipment volume of foldable screen mobile phones in China has been increasing by over 100% year-on-year for four consecutive years. In 2023, the shipment volume of foldable screen mobile phones in China was approximately 7.007 million units, a year-on-year increase of 114.5%.
From the global market perspective, the shipment volume of foldable screen smartphones has seen strong growth. According to CINNO Research data, the global foldable screen smartphone market sold approximately 18 million units in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 27%. Counterpoint predicts that the global foldable screen smartphone market will have a shipment volume of 55 million units by 2025.