Apple’s New Foldable iPhone Encounters Indifferent Consumer Demand

The foldable smartphone market has reached a significant level of maturity, with trends emerging from recent releases like Huawei’s innovative tri-fold Mate XT and Samsung’s anticipated contributions. In this evolving landscape, Apple appears poised to finally introduce a foldable iPhone. However, the tech giant must navigate a global consumer landscape that remains largely ambivalent toward this unique, yet fragile, device format.

Anticipation Grows for a Foldable iPhone

In early September, Nikkei Asia reported Apple’s discussions with suppliers about establishing a test production line for its forthcoming foldable iPhone models. There is speculation that mass production might commence in India by 2026, targeting an ambitious production goal of approximately 95 million units.

As highlighted previously, Apple is aiming for a 10% increase in iPhone shipments by 2026. The company is counting on the demand generated by the new foldable variant to support this growth. To provide context, Apple shipped around 232 million iPhones in 2024, and forecasts from IDC suggest a projected 4% growth in shipments for 2025, potentially reaching 241 million units. Thus, achieving a 10% growth from those figures would imply approximately 265 million unit shipments overall, with the foldable iPhone expected to contribute a modest yet significant portion of that increase.

When it comes to design, the anticipated foldable iPhone may resemble two connected iPhone Air devices, creating a horizontally folding unit that maintains the familiar feel of a traditional iPhone when closed. Some sources suggest the possibility of integrating an under-screen camera, although the price for this new device is expected to start at around $2, 000.

Challenges in Demand for Foldable Smartphones

Insights from a recent Canalys report highlight Huawei’s successes in the foldable segment, where the company captured approximately 48% of the global market share in the first half of 2025. Despite this dominance, overall shipments of foldable devices remained under 20 million units annually.

Demand Profile For Foldable Smartphones

Furthermore, a survey conducted by Omdia with 5, 000 respondents across key markets—Brazil, Mainland China, France, India, and the United States—revealed that only 23% of participants had either purchased a foldable smartphone or are considering one. Alarmingly, 38% expressed a distinct dislike for the foldable form factor. This data presents a significant hurdle for Apple as they prepare to launch their own foldable device.

Nonetheless, Apple is renowned for launching products only after extensive refinement. A successfully marketed foldable iPhone could potentially enhance public awareness and interest in foldable technologies, even among those currently skeptical.

Foldables forecasted for growth in 2026 graph shows foldable shipments from 2022 to 2027 with data from Canalys and Omdia. — Projected Growth In The Shipment Of Foldable Smartphones

In light of these trends, Canalys forecasts a remarkable 54% growth in foldable smartphone shipments by 2026. Whether this projection comes to fruition will largely hinge on Apple’s strategic decisions regarding the design, marketing, and positioning of its foldable iPhone.

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