Apple Plans Foldable iPhone and Ultra Model for 2026-2027
Apple targets 10M foldable units and a new iPhone Ultra as it expands its lineup across at least five models by mid-2027.
Apple is preparing one of its most ambitious iPhone expansions in years, with plans to launch at least five new models between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, according to a report from Yahoo. The Cupertino tech giant is targeting production of approximately 10 million units of its first-ever foldable iPhone — a device long anticipated by analysts and consumers alike — while simultaneously introducing a premium iPhone Ultra positioned above the existing Pro Max tier.
The foldable iPhone would mark a significant structural shift for Apple, which has historically resisted the form factor that rivals Samsung and Google have already commercialized. A 10-million-unit production target signals meaningful confidence in consumer demand, though it remains modest compared to flagship iPhone Pro volumes, suggesting Apple is treating the launch as a high-stakes but carefully managed debut.
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The iPhone Ultra, meanwhile, represents Apple's bid to capture ultra-premium buyers willing to pay above Pro Max pricing — a strategy the company has already deployed successfully with Apple Watch Ultra. Layering a similar branding approach onto the iPhone lineup could allow Apple to widen margin capture at the very top of the smartphone market without cannibalizing existing Pro Max sales.
Perhaps the most geopolitically sensitive element of the expansion plan involves memory chip supply. To manage component constraints, Apple is reportedly diversifying its sourcing to include Chinese suppliers currently on a Pentagon blacklist. The move carries tangible political and reputational risk at a time of heightened US-China trade tensions, and could draw scrutiny from lawmakers who have pushed American companies to reduce reliance on Chinese semiconductor firms.
The convergence of a foldable launch, a new Ultra tier, and a controversial supply-chain pivot makes this one of Apple's most consequential product cycles in recent memory. Continue reading at Yahoo.
