Apple plans to introduce a foldable iPhone as early as 2026, according to a new report, which would mark the first new variant of the company’s most popular product since its ill-fated iPhone Mini in 2020.

Citing two people with direct knowledge of the plans, The Information reports that the phone would fold across its width, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip or an old clamshell flip phone. If a foldable iPhone does get released in 2026, it would come seven years after Samsung’s first effort in the category.

The people cited in the new report said Apple’s foldable iPhone had progressed from the ideation stage, and that the company had reached out to suppliers in Asia to make components for it. Apple is also apparently planning a camera upgrade for the same year, which would let users control the size of the aperture with a mechanical system, possibly allowing for the creation of a depth-of-field effect.

Of course, anything could change in the next two years. But before we see a potential folding iPhone in 2026, Apple will be focused on the AI features and new cameras of this year’s iPhone 16, followed by the 2025 iPhone 17 line-up, which is rumoured to introduce an extremely thin iPhone “Slim” model, replacing the iPhone Plus. Additionally, Apple has just released its first extended reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, this year.

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Foldable phones have grown steadily as a category since 2019, with Samsung models dominating in the West but seeing some competition from Google (with the Pixel Fold, which has not been officially released in Australia) and Lenovo’s Motorola brand. In China, competition is much tougher with Samsung competing against local manufacturers Honor and Huawei.

The global foldable smartphone market grew 49 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, marking its highest rate of increase in six quarters, according to a Counterpoint Research report from May. Huawei took the top spot for the first time, beating Samsung. By 2026, Apple may enter a significantly more established market, which is comfortable territory for the iPhone maker.

Samsung’s latest foldable phones, the Z Fold6 and Z Flip6, were announced earlier this month and launch on July 31 for $2750 and $1800 respectively. Like the forthcoming iPhone 16, they come with a raft of built-in artificial intelligence features that let you generate images, summarise web pages or access instant translations.