According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal this morning, Apple is working on two new foldable devices for 2026 and beyond. The report also provides some details on the rumored ultra-slim iPhone 17 model.
iPhone 17 Air details
The Wall Street Journal corroborated many of the key iPhone 17 Air details, calling it a “bid to revive growth” after many years of incremental upgrades. The details are as follows:
Starting next year, Apple plans to introduce an iPhone that will be thinner than the approximately 8-millimeter profile of current models, said people familiar with the company’s plans. The model is intended to be cheaper than Pro models, with a simplified camera system to reduce costs.
Initially, many expected the iPhone 17 Air to be Apple’s most expensive iPhone, costing more than even the iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, The Wall Street Journal is now reporting the contrary, stating that it’ll be cheaper than the Pro models.
Currently, iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999. This means that iPhone 17 Air could start around the same ~$900 price point as the iPhone 16 Plus that it’ll be replacing.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the iPhone 17 Air will “offer an alternative” to consumers looking to pick up a sleeker phone and don’t mind the compromises. Apple is definitely betting big on the ultra-thin form factor being visually appealing.
New foldable devices
On top of that, we’re expecting two new foldable devices, an iPhone, and a larger device intended to serve as a laptop. The larger device is expected to have a 19-inch display when unfolded, and largely falls in line with Bloomberg reporting from this morning. This device was initially expected to launch first, but apparently the foldable iPhone is taking priority.
In their report, The Wall Street Journal stated that the foldable iPhone would “unfold to a display size that would be larger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max,” making the display at least 7 inches. The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display.
Apple was experimenting with displays that would be on the outside of the device when folding, but the company is now favoring an inward facing fold, similar to other devices on the market. The devices have been in development for quite some time, but Apple was facing issues with the hinge and display cover – resulting in some delays.
Apple executives have been pushing for a 2026 release for the foldable iPhone, though the company may need more time to get things just right.
Are you looking forward to a foldable iPhone? Does the iPhone 17 Air sound appealing to you? Let us know in the comments.
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