Apple begins testing its first foldable iPhone

Apple has started testing its first foldable iPhone, according to DigiTimes, citing sources within the company’s supply chain.

According to the report, Apple entered the P1 phase in June — the initial stage of prototyping. The company aims to complete this phase by the end of 2025 and proceed to subsequent stages, P2 and P3. Each phase is expected to take about two months and will involve limited production runs to evaluate the device’s design and mechanics.

Once the P1–P3 phases are completed, Apple’s manufacturing partners — including Foxconn and Pegatron — will begin testing the durability of the assembly and the overall product quality. These steps follow Apple’s standard device development cycle, progressing from prototyping to engineering validation testing (EVT), design validation testing (DVT), and finally, preparation for mass production (MP). For example, the upcoming iPhone 17 has already completed its EVT phase in Q2 2025.

DigiTimes sources also note that development of the foldable iPad has been temporarily paused due to technical challenges, the high cost of flexible displays, and uncertainty about consumer demand for large foldable devices.

The first foldable iPhone is tentatively scheduled to debut in fall 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.