Apple’s foldable iPhone appears set for a initial release and a later retail start compared with the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo’s industry survey estimates assembly shipments for the foldable device at about 7 million to 8 million units in the second half of 2026, and 500,000 to 1 million units in the third quarter, versus 20 million to 22 million third-quarter shipments for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
"The foldable iPhone is likely to repeat what happened with the iPhone X in 2017," Kuo said.
Kuo notes the iPhone X introduced multiple new technologies and faced manufacturing difficulty, and he argues the foldable shares a similar trade‑off: an innovative user experience that constrains early production.
He expects Apple to unveil the foldable at its September event but says pre-orders and official sales may arrive later, citing the iPhone X, which was announced on Sept. 12, 2017, with pre-orders delayed until Oct. 27, 2017, and official sales starting on Nov. 3, 2027.
Kuo forecasts a retail price between $2,300 and $2,500 and says scarce initial supply, a recognisable design and the novelty factor could push short‑term resale prices 50-100% above the official price.
