Is a folding iPhone really happening this year?

Short version: probably, but nothing is signed off. Apple has never confirmed a foldable iPhone exists, so every line on this page comes from supply-chain reporting and leakers rather than from Apple.

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The current reading is that a foldable lands in the same window as the Pro models: Expected around September 2026 for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, based on supply-chain reports; reports on the foldable iPhone’s timing keep swinging back and forth, with a DigiTimes report on 23 July 2026 warning production hiccups could push it by up to two months, while a newer Weibo leaker report (Fixed Focus Digital, via Forbes, 4 August 2026) says the production issues are resolved and it may launch alongside the Pro models after all (all unconfirmed by Apple). That wording matters, because the timing is genuinely less certain than the rest of the lineup. A production report in July 2026 suggested the foldable specifically could slip by up to two months while the Pro models stay on schedule.

So treat the foldable as the least predictable part of this year’s lineup. The Pro and Pro Max look steady. The folding one could move.

iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra: what is it actually called?

This is the part that trips up most searches. Everyone has been calling it the iPhone Fold, but that name came from the rumour mill, not from Apple.

The more recent view is that the foldable iPhone, which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says is likely to be called “iPhone Ultra” rather than “iPhone Fold” (rumored, not confirmed by Apple). Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a strong track record on Apple product naming, so this is worth taking seriously, though it is still not official.

We use both names across our guides on purpose, so you can find them whichever word you searched. When Apple announces the real name, we will switch to it everywhere rather than keep both running.

• iPhone Fold: the name the leaks started with, still the most searched
• iPhone Ultra: what Kuo now expects Apple to actually use
• Neither is confirmed, and Apple has announced no foldable at all

When could the foldable iPhone reach Malaysia?

Working backwards from the lineup: An Apple launch event is widely expected on September 9, 2026 (a Wednesday), based on the iOS 27 beta release cadence per Forbes / David Phelan, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who earlier floated September 8, now also leans toward the Wednesday date (rumored, not confirmed by Apple). After a reveal, pre-orders are expected to open around September 11, with on-sale around September 18, 2026 (rumored, not confirmed by Apple) for the Pro models.

For Malaysia, Malaysia is usually an early Apple launch market, so local availability is expected within days to a few weeks of the global on-sale (rumored). Malaysia is usually in an early Apple wave rather than a late one, so the local gap after the global on-sale date is typically small.

The honest caveat is that a first-generation foldable is exactly the kind of product that launches in fewer countries first. Even if the phone ships globally in September, a Malaysian release could reasonably land later than the Pro models do. Nobody outside Apple knows this yet.

How much will the foldable iPhone cost in Malaysia?

We are not going to make up a number, and you should be wary of any page that does. Malaysia pricing has not been announced yet; US price-hike estimates vary by source, from around USD 100-200 (Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, comparing it to recent Mac and iPad increases) up to USD 250-300 over the iPhone 17 Pro (to roughly USD 1,349-1,399 for the Pro, per GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu), suggesting local pricing may come in higher than the iPhone 17 Pro’s launch price here either way (rumored, not confirmed by Apple), and for the foldable there is even less to go on, because there is no previous generation to compare against.

What the leaks do agree on is position rather than price: the foldable is expected to sit above the Pro Max as the most expensive iPhone in the lineup. That is a placement, not a ringgit figure.

The moment Apple announces Malaysian pricing, this section gets the real numbers. Until then, the useful planning answer is that it is expected to be the priciest iPhone of the year, which makes protecting it from day one a much easier decision.

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What the design looks like in the leaks

Leaks describe a book-style foldable with a large inner display and a smaller outer cover screen (rumored). In plain terms, it opens like a small book: a large screen on the inside when open, and a smaller usable screen on the outside when closed.

That shape brings a few things a normal iPhone does not have, and they are the things worth understanding before you buy anything for it.

• A hinge, which is the most mechanically complex part of any folding phone
• An inner folding display, softer than the glass you are used to
• A crease line down the middle of the inner screen, which is normal on foldables
• Two thin panels instead of one solid body, so more edges and corners
• An outer cover screen that still needs everyday scratch protection

What a foldable means for cases

A folding phone cannot use a normal iPhone case. A standard case is one rigid shell, and a foldable is two panels joined by a moving hinge, so the fit is a completely different problem.

A good foldable case usually protects each half separately, leaves the hinge free to close flat, and adds as little thickness as possible, because every millimetre gets doubled when the phone shuts. Our guide on whether a foldable iPhone needs a case goes through what to look for in detail.

We are not selling a foldable case today and we will not pretend we can guarantee a fit for a phone Apple has not confirmed. When the real design lands, GALADO will look at foldable-friendly options with the same terms as everything else: ready stock, free shipping from Penang, warranty included and easy returns.

What to do in the meantime

If you are planning to buy the foldable, the useful thing to do now is simply to be on the list, so you are not refreshing rumour sites every week.

If you are more likely to buy an iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max instead, those are the models with firmer information and real case options already mapped out. Our iPhone 18 Malaysia launch guide covers dates, expected pricing and colours for the whole lineup. Last updated 10 August 2026.

Questions, answered

Details about the iPhone 18 here are based on current leaks and reports and have not been confirmed by Apple. We update this guide as official information lands. Last updated 10 August 2026.