Apple, long a patient observer of the foldable market, is reportedly already drafting its next chapter before the first chapter has even opened. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a second-generation foldable iPhone, codenamed V78, is planned for 2027, a year after the debut expected later this year. If the reporting holds, the company is signaling that foldables are not a passing experiment but a lasting place in the iPhone family, and the shape of that future is still being sketched through leaks rather than declared by Apple itself.
Apple Reportedly Plans a Second-Generation Foldable iPhone Before the First Launches
Apple is planning the sequel before the first foldable has shipped.
Mark
So what's the actual news here? The foldable was already expected this year.
Mimi
The news is the second one. Gurman reports Apple is planning a successor, codenamed V78, for 2027, just a year after the first model.
Mark
Why does a quick follow-up matter?
Mimi
It points to commitment. A company testing the waters might wait to see sales. Planning generation two before generation one ships suggests Apple sees foldables as a lasting category.
Luke
Careful, though. That's an inference. The report says it's planned, not that Apple has promised annual updates.
Mimi
Fair. The reading that this becomes a permanent tier is the article's interpretation of the plan.
Mark
And the design details, the 5.5-inch cover screen and 7.8-inch inner panel?
Mimi
Those come from leaks and replica models, and the design is described as rumored. The 4:3 shape echoes the iPad, which is why the comparison to the 8.3-inch iPad mini comes up.
Luke
So none of the specs are confirmed by Apple.
Mimi
Correct. Same for Samsung's rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide and Ultra split. That's also rumor.
Mark
Anything we simply don't know?
Luke
Pricing, the exact launch date, and whether demand will support yearly updates. The source doesn't say.
The Pulse
- Apple has not yet shipped a foldable iPhone, yet reports already point to a successor codenamed V78 for 2027.
- Rumored short, wide design with a 5.5-inch cover and 7.8-inch 4:3 inner screen breaks from the tall shape of Samsung's Fold models.
- The 4:3 layout borrows from the iPad lineup, setting up side-by-side multitasking and a near tablet-sized unfolded screen.
- Developers are reportedly being nudged to ensure their apps adapt smoothly to new screen sizes before launch.
- Samsung appears to be moving toward wider foldables too, while the industry watches whether Apple's annual-update plan becomes official.
Apple, long a patient observer of the foldable market, is reportedly already drafting its next chapter before the first chapter has even opened. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a second-generation foldable iPhone, codenamed V78, is planned for 2027, a year after the debut expected later this year. If the reporting holds, the company is signaling that foldables are not a passing experiment but a lasting place in the iPhone family, and the shape of that future is still being sketched through leaks rather than declared by Apple itself.
Apple has not yet shipped a foldable iPhone, but according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, it is already at work on the second one. The follow-up, reportedly codenamed V78, is planned for 2027, a year after the original is expected to arrive later this year. That timing suggests Apple sees foldables as a lasting product category rather than a single experiment.
The shift in posture is notable. For years Apple stayed out of the foldable market while Samsung, Google, Honor, and Oppo cycled through several generations, trying everything from narrow book-style devices to wider, tablet-like formats. Apple appears to have waited until the category matured before stepping in.
What the device will look like comes from leaks and replica models rather than from Apple. The rumored design is short and wide, with a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch 4:3 inner panel. That layout mirrors much of the iPad lineup and could make multitasking and side-by-side apps feel familiar, nearly matching the 8.3-inch iPad mini. Apple also seems to be preparing developers to adapt their apps to the new screen formats.
Samsung may be moving in a similar direction, with a wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide reportedly becoming the standard model. Whether Apple's strategy pays off is still unknown. If the second model is truly in development, it suggests the iPhone Ultra is meant to become a permanent tier with annual updates. The first device's official launch details will show how much of this reporting holds up.
Apple has not yet shipped a foldable iPhone, and according to a new report it is already working on the second one. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the company is planning a second-generation foldable for 2027, a year after the original is expected to arrive. The follow-up is reportedly codenamed V78.
The first foldable is still expected to debut later this year. Per the report, the 2027 model would launch alongside the 20th-anniversary iPhone. Having a successor in development before the first device is on sale suggests Apple is treating foldables as a lasting product category rather than a single experiment.
That would be a change of posture. For years Apple stayed out of the foldable market while Samsung, Google, Honor, Oppo and others went through several generations of hardware. Those companies tried everything from narrow, book-style devices to wider, tablet-like formats. Apple appears to have waited until the category matured before making its move.
What the device will look like comes from leaks and replica models that have surfaced in recent months, not from Apple itself. The foldable iPhone is expected to be short and wide, unlike the tall, narrow shape of earlier Samsung Galaxy Z Fold models. The rumored specifications are a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner panel in a 4:3 format.
That 4:3 layout mirrors much of Apple's iPad lineup, and could make multitasking, reading and running apps side by side feel more natural and familiar. At 7.8 inches, the inner screen would come close to the 8.3-inch display on the iPad mini, so the unfolded phone could offer something like a small tablet. Apple also appears to be preparing the software side, encouraging developers to make sure their apps adapt smoothly to different screen sizes and display formats.
Samsung may be heading in a similar direction. Rumors say the company is preparing a wider foldable design for next year's lineup, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide potentially becoming the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8. A taller version would reportedly be positioned as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Whether Apple's foldable strategy pays off remains to be seen. But a second-generation model already in development suggests Apple expects the iPhone Ultra to become a permanent tier in the iPhone lineup, with enough demand to justify regular annual updates. The thing to watch is official launch details for the first device, which would show how much of the reporting holds up.
Notable Quotes
Apple is planning a second-generation foldable iPhone for release in 2027, one year after the original.— Mark Gurman, Bloomberg (as reported by Digital Trends)
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