Technology
Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone Signals Its Continued Grip on Smartphone Trends
Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone tomorrow, arriving seven years after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold. Despite the delayed entry, the buildup to this launch highlights the influence Apple continues to hold over the smartphone industry under its new CEO, John Ternus.
Unlike previous iPhone events, this year's announcement is expected to break from the usual pattern. Reports suggest the standard iPhone 18 models may not launch alongside the Pro versions, with the base model reportedly delayed until early next year. Instead, the Pro lineup is expected to debut alongside Apple's first foldable device, rumored to feature a short, wide, passport-like design.
This shape has already appeared in several devices this year. Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi have all released similarly proportioned foldables in recent months, with Oppo and Honor also reportedly developing comparable models. This has raised questions about how competitors adopted this design before Apple's device was even officially announced.
While it's unclear which company first conceived the wide foldable format, evidence suggests Apple may have originated the trend. The company has reportedly been developing a foldable iPhone since at least 2017, with leaks pointing to the compact, wide format as early as February 2025. Apple's supply chain, refined under former CEO Tim Cook, tends to move slowly, meaning competitors likely learned of Apple's plans before the public did. Samsung, which is reportedly supplying the foldable display for the new iPhone, may have had early insight into Apple's designs.
This pattern of influence isn't new for Apple. Last year, the iPhone Air prompted quick imitation, including Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge and similar slim devices from Honor, Huawei, and Tecno. In the laptop market, Apple's MacBook Neo, released in March, was followed by a wave of similarly styled budget laptops from Lenovo, Dell, and Acer.
This suggests that when Apple enters a new market segment, competitors tend to follow swiftly — with exceptions such as the Vision Pro, which saw little imitation, reflecting doubts about its commercial success.
Before Apple's rumored shift, the Android foldable market had largely stabilized around the Flip and Fold formats popularized by Samsung, aside from gradual moves toward tri-fold designs. Early foldable models from Oppo and Google were closer to today's wide-fold designs but were later adjusted to match Samsung's established formats. The primary shift observed recently coincides with anticipation of Apple's foldable device.
Apple's entry into the foldable segment could have a significant market impact. According to Counterpoint Research, foldables accounted for only 1.6 percent of global smartphone sales in 2025. However, the same research firm projects a 20 percent increase in foldable shipments this year, with Apple expected to capture a 28 percent share shortly after launch.
This potential shift could help push foldables toward mainstream adoption, mirroring past instances where Apple's product entries reshaped entire categories.
The launch also marks a personal milestone for John Ternus, who is overseeing his first hardware release as Apple's CEO. Having previously served as head of hardware engineering, Ternus has played a direct role in shaping the products that have helped establish Apple's industry-leading reputation.
Going forward, Ternus faces the challenge of sustaining this influence — balancing hardware innovation with marketing, supply chain management, and services to ensure Apple continues setting industry trends for years to come.