Apple’s first foldable iPhone still appears to be on schedule for a September debut later this year, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. People familiar with the matter said the device remains part of Apple’s regular fall iPhone launch window, pushing back on earlier claims that the project had run into a major delay.
The report says Apple is currently planning to unveil the new model alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September. As with the rest of the iPhone lineup, sales would likely begin about a week after the announcement, assuming Apple keeps to its usual rollout pattern.
Fresh concern about the timeline surfaced after a Nikkei report suggested Apple had encountered engineering test issues that could delay production and shipments. That story briefly weighed on Apple’s stock price. Gurman’s latest update, though, says Apple is still aiming to release the new foldable iPhone on roughly the same schedule as its standard flagship models, even if supply may be tighter during the early launch period.
Sources cited in the report noted that the complexity of the new display and materials could limit availability during the first few weeks. Even so, Apple is said to be targeting a launch either at the same time as the non-folding iPhones or shortly after they reach stores.
The product is still about six months away, and mass production has not started yet, so the exact schedule could still shift. Still, the device is described as a key part of Apple’s broader strategy to refresh the iPhone lineup with new form factors, more premium options, and features that can better compete with Samsung and Chinese phone makers that have already spent years in the foldable market.
From a product-planning perspective, this model would represent the second major step in Apple’s multi-year redesign effort for the iPhone. The company previously introduced reworked Pro and Pro Max models along with a thinner iPhone Air, and it is also reportedly preparing a larger redesign for 2027 to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
The report adds that Apple believes it has addressed two long-standing challenges that have held back many foldables: visible screen creasing and durability concerns. Once unfolded, the device is said to offer a wider display shape than many current foldable phones, which could make it more comfortable for gaming and video viewing.
Apple is also expected to adapt iOS so apps feel closer to an iPad-style experience on the larger internal display. Pricing, however, may put the phone firmly in ultra-premium territory, with expectations that it could cost more than $2,000. Even so, such a device could help raise Apple’s average selling price while giving the company a more distinctive flagship option.
