Apple is reportedly working on its first foldable iPhone, putting the company head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable phones since 2019<\/a>, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n Bloomberg<\/i> managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy rate<\/a> when it comes to Apple rumors, reported on Sunday<\/a> that Apple will enter the foldable phone market in the latter half of 2026.<\/p>\n With products like the iPhone<\/a> and Apple Watch<\/a>, Apple entered each market early and helped shape what the mainstream version of the product would look like.<\/p>\n With the foldable iPhone, Apple will take a different approach, using what works for Samsung instead of creating a dramatically new interface or developing innovative hardware. Gurman reported that Apple’s device will look similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line<\/a> and incorporate many of the same parts, including foldable OLED screens.<\/p>\n Related: <\/b>‘Powerful, More Affordable Option’: Apple Reveals Its New Budget iPhone 16e, the iPhone SE’s Successor<\/a><\/p>\n Apple will still aim to improve parts of Samsung’s design, tackling the weaknesses of foldable devices like the visible inner display crease and the inner hinge mechanism. The iPhone<\/a> maker will also introduce new software features next year, specifically designed for foldable phones.<\/p>\n The price point of an Apple foldable phone will be at least $2,000, Gurman reports, which is similar to offerings from Samsung and Google. Samsung’s latest Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999<\/a>, while the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $1,799<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sales of the Samsung Z Fold 7 are higher than the previous generation, per Bloomberg, <\/i>and it’s received positive reviews from tech sites. Windows Central<\/i><\/a> called it “a winner,” while Mashable<\/i><\/a> praised the phone’s “almost unbelievably sleek form factor.” Samsung announced<\/a> the phone earlier this month, and it will be available for purchase starting this Friday.<\/p>\n Though Apple’s foldable iPhone may look similar to Samsung’s, it could still benefit from Apple’s reach. Apple holds 57% of the U.S. smartphone market<\/a> as of the first quarter of the year, compared to Samsung’s 25%, per Counterpoint Research.<\/p>\n However, Samsung has historically dominated the global foldable smartphone market, selling over 66% of the 15.9 million foldable phones sold in 2023, per TrendForce<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related: <\/b>Apple Is Reportedly Creating New Foldable iPads and iPhones. Here Are the Details.<\/a><\/p>\n Foldable phones are a niche category, having never accounted for more than 2%<\/a> of the smartphone market as a whole, per Counterpoint Research. Gurman suggests that Apple could make it mainstream when it enters the category next year.<\/p>\n Apple is the third most valuable company in the world, at the time of writing, with a market capitalization of $3.2 trillion<\/a>.<\/p>\n Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the<\/i> <\/i>Level Up conference<\/i><\/a> to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Apple is reportedly working on its first foldable iPhone, putting the company head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable phones since 2019<\/a>, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n Bloomberg<\/i> managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy rate<\/a> when it comes to Apple rumors, reported on Sunday<\/a> that Apple will enter the foldable phone market in the latter half of 2026.<\/p>\n With products like the iPhone<\/a> and Apple Watch<\/a>, Apple entered each market early and helped shape what the mainstream version of the product would look like.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.entrepreneur.com\/images\/misc\/1753108346_Samsung-Galaxy-Z-Fold-7-GettyImages-2223644691.jpg?width=1000\")
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphone. Photographer: Michael Nagle\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/sup><\/i><\/p>\n