Apple is rumored to still be facing 'technical challenges' in producing its crease-free foldable iPhone

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Apple is rumored to still be facing 'technical challenges' in producing its crease-free foldable iPhone News By David Nield published 21 December 2025

Due September 2026

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We're not quite sure what the foldable iPhone will look like yet (Image credit: Ming-Chi Kuo) Share Share by:

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• Apple's crease-free iPhone Fold is still being worked on
• A well-known tipster says 'technical challenges' remain
• We should see the device launching sometime during 2026

All the signs are pointing towards the first foldable iPhone showing up sometime next year, but a fresh rumor suggests Apple still has some technical difficulties to overcome in its efforts to make the folds on the device completely free from any creases.

This comes from well-known tipster Digital Chat Station (via Wccftech), who says – via Google Translate – that "technical challenges" remain in Apple's way as it tries to develop a folding screen that looks completely flat when it's opened out.

Current foldables, including the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, still have slight creases in their displays where the hinge mechanisms are. This isn't a major problem, but it does spoil the aesthetics a little bit.

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A lot of the leaks we've previously heard about the foldable iPhone have suggested that Apple's engineers are determined to make this device crease-free, and based on this new information, it seems that they haven't quite managed it yet.

Still experimenting

The new Samsung tri-fold – still with creases (Image credit: Samsung)

The same tipster adds some extra information here, saying that Apple is experimenting with different types of ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG), and that the foldable iPhone is going to make its debut at some point during September.

Next year could end up being a very busy one for Apple, with a significant shake-up to its iPhone launch schedule expected. The iPhone 18 Pro may launch in September as normal, with the iPhone 18 held back until March of 2027.

Add a folding iPhone to the mix, and it really will be new territory for Apple and its smartphones. We've also heard that the foldable iPhone could come with an under-display camera, so no notch or cut-out on the display.

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As yet though, there have been no real indications of what the device might be called: the iPhone Fold is a sensible bet, but seems a bit too vanilla for Apple. If you've got any predictions, let us know in the comments.

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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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