There have been many rumors over the past few weeks about the foldable iPhone Flip, some of which suggested that development might be delayed due to problems with the foldable screen With that in mind, it is not surprising to hear that the phone may not be released until late 2026

According to Korean news site Alpha Economy, Apple has decided to release the iPhone Flip in September 2026 along with the iPhone 18 This means that we will have to wait another two and a half years for the iPhone to appear, at which point the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 will just be released

The site also claims that Apple expects to sell 50 million foldable phones, which is pretty spectacular considering that only 131 million foldable phones were shipped in 2022 But if Apple can get people to buy a $3,500 mixed reality headset without returning it, it shouldn't have too much trouble selling large numbers of folding phones

It is also said that Apple will transfer a "significant number" of employees who have been working on the Apple Vision Pro to the foldable phone project This suggests that Apple may want to get this protracted project off the ground

Whether the iPhone Flip will actually appear in 2026 is another matter entirely There have been countless rumors about the phone over the past few years, but nothing so far, not to mention the rumors we have heard about a possible launch in 2027, which could coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone

Similar rumors about possible problems with the foldable screen do not bode well for the iPhone Flip It is an important feature for such a device, and ruining the screen could have dire consequences; just ask Samsung about what happened after their first attempt to launch the original Galaxy Fold in spring 2019

And since it's Apple, they won't release a foldable phone until the design is more or less perfect So whenever the iPhone Flip comes out, one would expect Apple to have done everything it can to make the phone thinner, to minimize the display folds, and to ensure that there are no gaps in the design, especially when the phone is folded and closed The iPhone user expects the best iPhone users expect the best, and an ugly design goes against the reason many people buy iPhones in the first place

In any case, while we wait for Apple's first foldable to arrive, be sure to check out our iPhone Flip hub for all the latest news and rumors we've heard