An unexpected revelation comes from the headquarters of Samsung Display, where President Lee Cheong has involuntarily confirmed what many already suspected: Apple is preparing his first folding iPhone For 2026 The irony of the situation does not escape: it is precisely Apple’s main rival in the smartphone market that confirm the existence of the device that the fans of the apple have been waiting for for years.
The rumors from different sources of the industry converge on a crucial point: Apple will not deal with its folding device as a separate category. Unlike the Samsung approach, which places the Galaxy Z Folds as an independent line, the Cupertino house The folding in the iPhone 18 family will integrate As a top model, even superior to Pro Max. This move would represent a revolution in traditional market dynamics.
Tempism reveals opposite strategies between the two technological giants. While Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Folding 8 months in advance of the Apple debut, but after the Galaxy S26, the apple seems to want to exploit the delay to perfect its proposal.
The paradox of technical specifications
According to the leaked specifications, the folding iPhone could be technically lower even to the current Galaxy Z Fold 7let alone the model of next year. A situation that should not surprise, considering that the Samsung device has earned unanimous awards from specialized criticism for its exceptional performance.
Apple had to give up perfectly to finally enter the market
The Galaxy Z Folding 7 represents one of the most successful phones of recent years, establishing high standards that Apple will necessarily have to compare with its first incursion in the folding sector.
The obsession with the perfection that delayed everything
The long wait of the folding iPhone hides a precise corporate philosophy. Apple postponed the entrance to this market because it pursued an ambitious goal: Create a device with a completely invisible turn of the screen. However, the items from the supply chain suggest that the Californian company has had to temporarily abandon this aspiration.
Lee Cheong’s declaration definitively dissipates the doubts of those who fed skepticism on the time release times. Although numerous reports had already indicated 2026 as a probable date, questions persisted on possible postponements that now seem dismissed by the indirect confirmations of Samsung Display.
The late entry of Apple into the market of folding devices Paradoxically, it could prove advantageous, allowing the company to observe the errors of the competitors and perfect its proposal. The challenge will be to demonstrate that the wait has been justified by significant innovations, despite the technical specifications initially lower than the competition.
