Cupertino, California, April 9, 2026, 07:11 PDT. 1
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is still expected to be unveiled in September, according to Bloomberg and Wall Street analysts, after a Nikkei Asia report this week said engineering problems could push first shipments back by months. Reuters said Bloomberg pegged the device to Apple’s usual fall launch window alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, a view later echoed by Morgan Stanley and Evercore ISI analysts. 2
That matters because the foldable model has turned into one of the clearest hardware bets in Apple’s 2026 lineup. Apple said in January that iPhone had its “best-ever quarter” as total revenue reached a record $143.8 billion, and the company is due to report again on April 30, with WWDC set for June 8 to 12 as investors look for fresh product and AI momentum. 1
Nikkei said Apple had run into trouble during the engineering test phase, an early pre-production step used to check design and manufacturing before a full ramp-up. Reuters, citing the Nikkei report, said the worst case was a delay of several months to first shipments, and Apple did not respond to requests for comment. 2
Investors reacted fast. Apple shares fell as much as 5.1% on Tuesday before closing down 2.1%, MarketWatch reported, then rose on Wednesday after analysts argued the schedule had not materially changed. 3
Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring wrote that he had “not picked up on any delay” and said a component supplier had not flagged any order changes. He said test-stage glitches are not unusual when Apple pushes a new product through validation. 4
Price is another reason the model is getting so much attention. MacRumors, citing Bloomberg, said the foldable phone is expected to cross the $2,000 threshold in the United States, while Evercore ISI’s Amit Daryanani said a delay “would be surprising” and put the likely range at about $2,000 to $2,500, with 12 million to 15 million units enough to move fiscal 2027 growth. 5
D.A. Davidson’s Gil Luria was blunter. He told MarketWatch the device could trigger “the biggest upgrade cycle in the last four years,” but said Apple still needs “a compelling new iPhone offering” this year to avoid softer iPhone sales later in 2026. 3
Apple has not disclosed the device publicly. Even so, Reuters reported in January that the company was already prioritizing premium iPhone launches in the second half of 2026, including its first foldable model, as it tried to maximize revenue and manage the extra strain a more complex design puts on the supply chain. 6
Competition is already there. Samsung controlled nearly two-thirds of the foldable smartphone market in the third quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint data cited by Reuters in January, while Huawei has already pushed deeper into the high-end segment with devices such as its Mate XT tri-fold. 7
Still, the risk has not gone away. Barron’s said Daryanani sees a September release but warned that engineering and durability issues remain, while Reuters said Nikkei’s worst-case scenario was a delay of several months to first shipments. For a phone that analysts see as a major catalyst, even a short slip would matter. 8
