JAKARTA - After seven years of being a rumor that continues to circulate and mentions that the launch will take place next year, finally the folding iPhone from Apple has now entered the production protocol stage. The launch is expected to occur in 2026.
According to an exclusive report from AppleInsider, Apple has entered the initial testing phase for the foldable iPhone device. This information is also reinforced by a recent report from DigiTimes, which claims that a folding iPhone prototype is currently undergoing first-stage testing faster than originally estimated.
DigiTimes also mentioned that Apple is targeting mass production to begin in the summer of 2026. This is in line with previous reports that state that this device will be produced simultaneously with the iPhone 18 series.
Apple is known to have a very specific prototype process. In the case of this folding iPhone, the device has entered the initial prototype stage called P1 in June 2025. Usually, this stage lasts for about two months. After P1, Apple will continue to one or two additional prototype stages which also take two months each.
If major obstacles are not found, this folding iPhone prototype is expected to be tested in November 2025.
After the prototype is complete, Apple will start the Engineering Validation Test (EVT) stage. There is no definite timeframe for the EVT phase, as Apple can run iterations such as EVT-1, EVT-2, and so on until the device passes the test.
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After EVT, the device will enter the Design Validation Test (DVT) stage which further tests the hardware and software. At this stage, some units are usually sent to operators for network testing.
The last stage is the Production Validation Test (PVT), which is large-scale testing on the production line to ensure the device is ready for mass production.
Unfolded Screen
Apple is reportedly working with Samsung Display for the last few years to develop a foldless folding screen (crease). Although Samsung launched its first foldable phone in 2019, Apple seems to be trying to provide a better value of differentiation through screen quality and hinges.
The latest report also states that Apple is temporarily halting the development of the iPad Fold in order to focus more on the development of folding iPhones.
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