Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in an interview that the highly anticipated foldable screen iPhone may face continued shortages after its release. He said that the current development progress of the folding iPhone is about 9 months behind the original plan. Although the development progress is slightly behind, the folding screen iPhone can still be released in the second half of 2026.
Regarding the question of "when will it be easy to buy a folding iPhone?", Ming-Chi Kuo's answer is 2027.
He pointed out that due to the early ramp-up of mass production, foldable iPhones may be out of stock until at least the end of 2026, given limited supply but strong demand expectations.
Data shows that against the background of three consecutive years of decline in overall smartphone shipments, folding screens have become the only segment to maintain double-digit growth, which forces Apple to break the traditional strategy of "re-entering the market once the technology is mature."
The global foldable screen mobile phone market will reach US$78 billion in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 45%, but Apple is still blank in this field.
Samsung holds 62% of the market share with its Galaxy Z series, while Chinese manufacturers Huawei and Xiaomi account for 31% combined.
The explosive development of device-side AI is also another key driver.
According to Counterpoint Research data, smartphone shipments that support multi-modal AI interaction will account for 38% in 2025, and users' demand for large-screen multitasking has surged.
Ming-Chi Kuo analyzed that the folding screen form can provide a richer interactive interface for AI assistants, which is the core reason why Apple is eager to launch a folding iPhone.
