Apple is already raising iPhone Fold expectations in a big way, per report

Apple’s first ‘iPhone Fold’ is still about a year away from launching, but according to a new analyst note, the company recently raised shipment expectations significantly for the new model.

Kuo: Apple recently raised iPhone Fold shipment projections substantially

We’re just days away from the iPhone 17 lineup’s full unveiling. But as happens often, rumors for next year’s iPhones are already heating up.

The iPhone Fold will undoubtedly be the most exciting model in 2026’s iPhone 18 lineup.

And according to a new post from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is already raising its own expectations for how big a hit its first foldable could be.

Kuo writes:

Apple recently revised its shipment forecasts for the foldable iPhone upward to 8–10 million units in 2026 and 20–25 million in 2027 (vs. previous estimate of 6–8 million and 10–15 million, respectively)

Kuo has extensive supply chain sources, so it’s very likely these numbers are accurate. And if so, these are very significant increases—especially the boost to 2027 projections.

Moving from 6-8 million in 2026 to 8-10 million is a strong jump in itself.

Quickly selling 10 million units of an ultra-expensive, unique new model would easily make the iPhone Fold a hit.

But it’s the 2027 numbers that are even more noteworthy.

Apple shifting expectations from 10-15 million units all the way up to 20-25 million is huge. It clearly shows that the company believes consumers are ready for foldables to go mainstream.

Though price point could prove a big barrier to adoption, anecdotally I know a lot of people who are very interested in foldables and might be willing to splurge for a truly compelling product.

What do you think of these expected shipment numbers? Do you think the iPhone Fold will prove successful? Let us know in the comments.

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