Apple is planning to shuffle its iPhone release schedule next year as it will release the first foldable iPhone to make it more user-friendly, The Information reports. The plan is that the foldable iPhone will be released along with the iPhone 18 Pro and Air models, while the standard iPhone 18 will be postponed to the spring of 2027, along with the release of the next iPhone 16E model, the publication reports.
The Information notes that with a slimmer model in the lineup and a foldable device expected in 2026, Apple needs to shuffle things around to keep its rapidly growing lineup of six iPhones manageable. As for what the foldable model will look like, the publication writes that Apple is opting for a book-shaped form factor rather than a clamshell, with a 5.7-inch screen when closed and just under 8-inches when open. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously suggested that it would be 4.5-4.8 mm thick when unfolded and would use Face ID rather than Touch ID.
The report also contains other tidbits, such as that Apple will introduce a new case for the iPhone 17 Air, as its testing has apparently shown that the phone’s battery life itself “will be shorter than previous iPhones.” In addition, The Information claims that the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max models will receive the long-rumored Face ID sensors under the display, leaving the devices with only a “small cutout in the upper left corner” for the phone’s front camera.
