CUPERTINO, California — Apple on Tuesday moved to get ahead of mounting speculation by officially confirming details of its long-anticipated foldable iPhone at a small media and developer briefing held at its Infinite Loop campus. The company confirmed that the device, internally referred to as the iPhone Fold, will enter mass production in the third quarter of 2026 with a retail launch expected before the end of the year, placing it squarely in competition with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series and Huawei's Mate X line.

Apple's vice president of hardware engineering Johny Srouji outlined the device's core specifications, including a 7.8-inch inner foldable OLED display supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display jointly, a titanium-reinforced hinge mechanism tested to over 400,000 folds, and full integration with Apple Intelligence features. The outer cover display measures 5.5 inches and supports Face ID and Dynamic Island, extending functionality when the device is closed.

The briefing came one day after a wave of supply chain reports and analyst commentary circulated widely, driven in part by ongoing coverage of Apple's foldable ambitions in Asian technology media. Analysts at Wedbush Securities and TF International Securities, whose Ming-Chi Kuo had previously predicted a 2026 release, described Tuesday's confirmation as a significant de-risking moment for Apple investors and a signal that the company was confident enough in its manufacturing yields to go public with a timeline.

The announcement has immediate implications for rivals. Samsung, which has dominated the premium foldable segment since 2019, is expected to accelerate the marketing rollout of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, due in July. Google is also preparing its Pixel Fold 3 announcement for its I/O conference next month. Industry observers noted that Apple's entry into foldables is likely to significantly expand the overall market, as it has historically done when entering new device categories such as tablets and smartwatches.

Apple declined to confirm pricing on Tuesday, though analysts widely expect the iPhone Fold to launch above $1,800. Pre-orders are anticipated to open in October, with availability in Apple's initial launch countries — the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Germany — expected to follow within days. The company said further details would be shared at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.