Apple could shift the Vision Pro team’s focus on developing foldable iPhones

Since the beginning of 2024, there have been a lot of rumors about Apple working on a foldable smartphone. The latest gossip, from South Korea, adds more weight to this idea and gives us more details about what the tech giant might be up to.

According to Alpha Economy (as reported by Android Authority), Apple has apparently decided to launch its first foldable iPhone in September 2026, which could line up with the release of the iPhone 18 series. The source also claims that Apple has shifted its Vision Pro team’s focus to work on the foldable phone, and the company expects to sell around 50 million units of foldable phones worldwide.

If this rumor turns out to be true, a foldable iPhone will come out after the 8th generation of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip, which are expected to be its main competitors. The Galaxy Z series usually comes out towards the end of summer. For instance, we’re expecting the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to be released around August this year, probably at the next Samsung Unpacked event.

The report says Apple is expecting to sell 50 million units, which is a big jump compared to what we’ve been seeing in the industry lately. Even though the foldable smartphone market has been growing, the total number of foldables shipped by all brands is still much lower. For example, Samsung, the market leader, is said to have shipped around 10 million units of its latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 combined.

Additionally, the foldable iPhone is said to be in the works by the same team that’s behind the Vision Pro. Someone who knows about Apple’s internal workings told Alpha Economy (translated by a machine):

“I understand that a significant number of Vision Pro’s core personnel have been transferred to the foldable phone development team to develop the foldable phone. Unless the situation changes, Apple’s foldable phone will be launched in September 2026.”

After working on it for years, Apple just released its Vision Pro headset, which could mean they’re now turning their attention to a foldable iPhone. But it’s important to be cautious with this kind of information, as these rumors don’t always turn out to be completely true.