JPMorgan sees foldable iPhone quickly taking control of the sector
JPMorgan sees Apple releasing a $1,999 foldable iPhone in 2026. | Image credit-Unknown
Apple's entry into the foldable market will give that niche segment of the smartphone industry a shot in the arm, as many expected. This year, 19.8 million foldables are expected to be sold globally. The introduction of the foldable iPhone will not only take foldable devices into the mainstream, but having a foldable iPhone in the marketplace will result in a huge jump in foldable units sold, and the amount of revenue generated by the sector should soar. Yes, the iPhone name still means a lot in the smartphone industry. But beyond that, Apple is looking to improve the appeal of foldable phones by removing some of the major issues that keep consumers away from buying such a device. The number one reason why consumers don't buy foldables is the pricing, and this is one issue that I don't think Apple is so quick to fix. The second problem is the tendency of foldable displays to have a crease show up on the internal display. This is a problem that foldable manufacturers have been struggling to eliminate for a long time.
Apple reportedly will ship a foldable with a crease-free display, or at the least, a crease that will not be so easily noticeable. The inner screen is expected to weigh in at 7.8 inches and will feature a sturdy, long-lasting hinge using "Liquid Metal." The external display is expected to weigh in at 5.5 inches. The iPhone Fold will sport a thin chassis and a titanium frame. Touch ID is expected to make its long-awaited return, replacing Face ID on the foldable iPhone . Apple has studied the foldable market for a long time. This is how the company operates. The late Steve Jobs didn't wake up one morning with the iPhone, its specs, design, and features all done. It was a multi-year project that started in 2004, three years before that glorious day when Jobs held aloft the device that would change the world. With the foldable iPhone , Apple did the same thing. It studied the competition, examined their weaknesses, and figured out where Apple could do things better. The crease is supposedly an example of how this works. Earlier in the process, Apple was said to have held back on developing a foldable iPhone because it was concerned that such a device could not be durable. Then, while testing a prototype foldable iPhone in 2024, the device, using a display sourced from Samsung, fell apart.
Obviously, Apple is well past this point. It reverse-engineered competitors' models and figured out how to make a better mousetrap. It's the Apple way. And if JPMorgan is correct, sooner than you'd expect, Apple will be the leader in foldables worldwide, which JPMorgan calls a $65 billion opportunity for the company.
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