While Apple may be pausing its foldable iPad development, it’s full steam ahead for its foldable iPhone project. DigiTimes reports that Apple has moved its foldable iPhone into its prototyping phase with suppliers, as it readies for a launch next year.
The publication reports that its supply chain sources tell it that the foldable handset entered its initial Prototype 1 (P1) phase in June and prototype testing should finish up by the end of 2025, when it will then enter the Engineering Verification Test (EVT) stage. If all goes well, the new iPhone will be ready for a second half 2026 launch.
Following the P1 phase but before the EVT phase, the foldable iPhone will go through P2 and P3 phases. Ech prototyping stage takes approximately two months. During those stages, Apple’s supply chain partners engage in limited trial runs, and will then hand over assembly responsibilities to Apple’s main iPhone assembly partners, Foxconn and Pegatron. Those two companies will then validate validate production yields and manufacturability.
DigiTimes earlier today reported that Apple is holding off on development of its foldable iPad, due to increased production expenses and other factors.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro Max lineups in the fall of 2026.
