IDC’s Forecast for Annual Shipments of Foldable iPhones by Apple

Last updated on August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Neil Hemmings on Categories Gadget

In an anticipated revelation, Apple is poised to unveil its inaugural foldable iPhone on September 9. According to Bloomberg, the International Data Corporation (IDC) holds an optimistic prognosis for the device’s performance in its debut year. Below are the salient details.

IDC Optimistic About iPhone Ultra’s Initial Year Shipments

At next month’s “Surprise and Shine” event, Apple is anticipated to reveal its first book-style foldable iPhone, reportedly priced around $2,500.

Despite long-standing skepticism surrounding foldable devices, Counterpoint Research has recently projected that book-style smartphones will comprise 76% of global foldable shipments by 2026, an increase from 52% in 2025. Apple’s introduction is expected to catalyze an overall market growth of 21% year-on-year.

In a similarly favorable assessment, IDC (as reported by Bloomberg) has shared its optimistic expectations regarding the number of foldable iPhones Apple is likely to distribute in its first year.

Bloomberg cites IDC’s senior research director, Nabila Popal, who forecasts that Apple may “exceed 10 million shipments in its inaugural year,” notwithstanding the substantial price point.

For context, Samsung’s recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 8—featuring a passport-like aspect ratio akin to that which Apple is rumored to be incorporating—begins at $1,899 with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.

Counterpoint’s latest study indicates that while Samsung dominated the foldable smartphone arena in 2025 with a 40% market share, this figure is anticipated to decline to 32% in 2026, whereas Apple is projected to secure 25% of shipments in that same year.

It is crucial to recognize that Counterpoint’s forecast pertains exclusively to the 2026 calendar year, whereas IDC’s estimate of more than 10 million shipments encompasses the entire first year of the foldable iPhone’s availability.

Thus, both reports exhibit a buoyant outlook for the iPhone Ultra’s market performance.

A foldable smartphone is displayed partially open on a metal tray beside a closed phone, both featuring metallic finishes and app icons on the screens.

Looking to the future, IDC emphasizes that Apple’s foray into the foldable sector will help “mitigate a double-digit percentage decline for foldable devices this year,” projecting a growth of 12.6% in this category for the current year, accelerating to an 18% increase in the following year.

Source link: 9to5mac.com.

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Neil Hemmings

I'm Neil Hemmings from Anaheim, CA, with an Associate of Science in Computer Science from Diablo Valley College. As Senior Tech Associate and Content Manager at RS Web Solutions, I write about AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, and apps – sharing hands-on reviews, tutorials, and practical tech insights.