According to BlockBeats, on July 5th, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo published an article stating that the foldable iPhone may repeat the iPhone X scenario, namely, being launched at the same time as other models, but with later pre-orders and official sales, and the tight supply may continue until the end of 2026.
Based on the inventory levels expected in the third quarter of 2026, the foldable iPhone is likely to resemble the 2017 iPhone X. The iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus were launched on September 12th, but due to insufficient supply, pre-orders and official sales were delayed to October 27th and November 3rd, respectively. Given the limited shipments in the third quarter, the foldable iPhone may not be available for pre-order and official sales until the fourth quarter of 2026.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, after communicating with telecom operators, sales channels, and resellers/personal shoppers, he predicts that even if the foldable iPhone is priced as high as approximately $2,300 to $2,500, demand will likely remain strong until at least the end of 2026. This means that the foldable iPhone may sell out quickly after pre-orders open, and the shipping wait time could rapidly extend to 4 to 6 weeks or even longer, lasting until December. He believes that the initial scarcity of foldable iPhone supply, its highly recognizable design, and its innovative user experience may drive up short-term resale prices; it's not impossible for resale prices to be 50% to 100% higher than the official price.