Apple is growing more and more confident in its first foldable iPhone, especially after 2026
The iPhone Fold could set the world on fire shortly after its long overdue commercial debut next year, at least according to Apple's newest sales targets for 2026 and 2027.
Widely expected to become a commercial reality at some point next year, the iPhone Fold (which may or may not be the real marketing name of the highly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold rival) could sell in as many as 10 million units around the world in 2026 and anywhere between 20 and 25 million copies in 2027.
Just how big are these numbers?
Before attempting to answer that question, I should probably highlight the credibility of the newly rumored figures, which come from none other than Ming-Chi Kuo via the usual supply chain sources.
Obviously, companies can rarely estimate the sales results of an unreleased phone with any respectable degree of accuracy a year or so ahead of a product launch (especially a first-gen product), but if Apple strongly believes its foldable iPhone will be a hit, the odds of that happening are clearly pretty solid.
The iPhone Fold could eclipse the combined sales figures of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
The current 8 to 10 million unit goal for 2026 would absolutely crush the combined sales total of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, which reportedly stood at only a little over 5 million units as of the end of 2024. Since then, of course, the two Android-based foldable powerhouses have undoubtedly boosted that cumulative score, but reaching 8 million shipments probably never happened and it never will.
The 20 to 25 million unit projection for 2027, meanwhile, could exceed the number of all foldable devices sold by all companies worldwide in 2025. Now that's a stat for the ages, and what's even more remarkable about it is that Apple previously set these targets at 6 to 8 million for next year and "only" 10 to 15 million for the year after that, considerably raising both estimates for reasons that are not entirely clear at the moment.
How big of a box-office hit do you think the foldable iPhone will be?
A massive hit
25%
A moderate hit
15%
A modest hit
30%
A flop
30%
Perhaps the unexpected success of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is signaling a return to form for the foldable segment as a whole. Or maybe Apple's market research is simply suggesting iPhone Fold demand could be a lot higher than previously anticipated. Or perhaps the company always expected demand to be strong, but due to various production challenges, it was not sure it would be able to meet said demand.
Either way, Apple's confidence in this first-of-a-kind product is clearly growing, and so should Samsung's fears of falling down the market's ranks, especially after 2026.
The first foldable iPad sounds way less impressive
Yes, a foldable iPad is reportedly in the pipeline too, but due to its undoubtedly sky-high price, late entry in the market, and potentially not very ergonomic or portable design, its initial sales prospects are a lot lower than those of the foldable iPhone.
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Nobody knows how the first foldable iPad will look, but everybody knows it's going to be expensive. | Image Credit -- 9to5Mac
We're talking a global shipment forecast of between half a million and a million units for 2028, which is both too low of a number and too distant of a timeline to be taken very seriously. There are obviously many things that could happen between now and 2028 to impact that estimate... or even reduce it to zero.
On a separate note, Apple is said to be working on a lighter and more affordable version of the Vision Pro headset as well that could reach shipments of around a million units as early as 2027. That would make the "Vision Air" significantly more successful than its high-end, costly, and unwieldy predecessor, which hasn't even broken the 400,000 unit sales barrier yet.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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