Foldable iPhone may debut in September. Apple is really "going big" this time.

2026 is regarded by the industry as Apple's "year of crucial innovation." According to rumors, next year, Apple will not only launch products such as foldable models and OLED touch laptops in its core product lines like iPhone and Mac but also enter new product categories such as smart home hubs.

Foldable iPhone May Debut in September

After more than two years of rumors, the foldable iPhone is finally set to debut in September 2026. Its screen is 5.3 inches in the folded state and expands to a 7.8 - inch large screen. It is equipped with an A20 Pro chip and 12GB of memory, and the body uses a titanium - metal and aluminum - alloy frame. It abandons Face ID and instead uses side - mounted Touch ID and is equipped with Apple's self - developed C2 5G modem chip.

Currently, there are two speculations about the imaging system of the foldable iPhone: in both the folded and unfolded modes, it is equipped with an 18 - megapixel selfie lens, and there are two rear 48 - megapixel lenses; the other is that the inner screen is equipped with a 24 - megapixel under - screen lens, and the outer screen has a front - facing lens and two rear 48 - megapixel lenses. The starting price of the foldable iPhone is expected to be $1,999 (approximately 14,203 Chinese yuan).

Currently, news from Apple's supply chain indicates that the sales of the iPhone 17 Air are not as expected, and the production target has been lowered. However, Apple has not abandoned the new iPhone Air series. It will carry out targeted upgrades for the iPhone 18 Air, including equipping it with two rear 48 - megapixel lenses, one as the main camera and the other as the ultra - wide - angle camera. The main lens also supports 2x digital zoom, and the lens module is horizontally arranged to differentiate it from the base - model iPhone. At the same time, the iPhone 18 Air will continue with the 6.5 - inch high - refresh - rate screen, Face ID, and a lightweight body design and is planned to be launched at the same time as the foldable iPhone.

The entry - level iPhone 17e will be launched in the spring of 2026, using the A19 chip and most likely adding the Dynamic Island feature. The iPhone 18 series may abandon Qualcomm chips and use Apple's self - developed modems.

MacBook Supports Touch

In 2026, the Mac product line follows a rhythm of "regular upgrades in the first half of the year and major innovations in the second half."

At the beginning of the year, the entry - level MacBook will be launched. It is equipped with a 13 - inch LCD screen and an A18 Pro chip, comes in four shell colors, and is priced below $999 (approximately 7,097 Chinese yuan). In the Chinese market, after the national subsidy, the expected price for consumers will be more than 6,000 yuan.

The MacBook Air unveiled at the same time will be equipped with the M5 chip. The M5 MacBook Pro will offer a version with a larger hard - disk capacity. The new MacBook Pro using the M5Pro/M5 Max chips and the Mac mini using the M5/M5 Pro chips will also make their debut simultaneously.

In the autumn and winter, the M6 Pro/M6Max MacBook Pro will be the highlight. The MacBook will introduce an OLED display and touch function for the first time, and the body will be further thinned to compete with high - end Windows OLED laptops. However, the base - model 14 - inch M6 - chip MacBook Pro launched at the same time will not use an OLED display.

In addition, the MacStudio launched in the middle of 2026 will be equipped with the M5 Max/M5 Ultra chips, and the performance of the M5 Ultra can reach twice that of the M5 Max. After a four - year interval, Apple's Studio Display monitor will also see a new model, which is expected to be unveiled in the middle of 2026. The size will still be 27 inches, but the screen material will be changed from the original LCD to miniLED.

Apple Smart Screen Launches

Smart home has been listed as a key expansion area for Apple in 2026. Apple will release a smart home control hub product in the spring of 2026, which is positioned similarly to Xiaomi's smart screen. This product is equipped with a 7 - inch full - screen, with an appearance similar to two iPhones placed side by side. It offers both wall - mounted and desktop versions and is priced at $350 (approximately 2,487 Chinese yuan).

It integrates multiple functions, including smart home control, music playback, video calls, weather queries, and photo display. The built - in sensor can automatically adjust the interface display according to the user's distance: when no one is nearby, the screen shows the time and temperature information; when it detects the user approaching, it automatically switches to the operation interface for temperature adjustment, etc.

The core highlight of this product is the deep integration of Siri and Google's Gemini AI. The upgraded Siri has the ability to track emails, messages, files, and photos and can assist users in completing various tasks. The screen perception function allows Siri to recognize the screen content and perform corresponding operations, such as directly adding an address to the contact card when receiving address information. Through cross - application integration, the scope of Siri's task execution is further expanded, supporting operations such as moving files across applications, sending edited photos, and getting routes and sharing the estimated arrival time. In addition, Apple is also developing a larger - sized smart screen with a mechanical arm structure that can dynamically adjust the screen angle.

In addition to the hub product, Apple will also launch a new HomePod mini and Apple TV in 2026. Both products will undergo chip upgrades and be equipped with Apple's newly designed Internet of Things chips. Among them, the Apple TV may support some Apple Intelligence functions.

In addition, Apple is developing an indoor security camera deeply integrated with HomeKit, which will be launched at the end of 2026, and accessories such as doorbells may be launched later.

Smart Glasses Need More Time

The iPad product line will continue to refine its configurations, launching the OLED iPad mini, the A18 - chip iPad, and the M4 - chip iPad Air, covering different consumer needs through screen technology and chip upgrades. In addition, the appearance design, hardware parameters, etc. of Apple's first smart glasses may be exposed, but the specific release time is estimated to be in 2027.

The major upgrade of the Apple Watch in 2026 is the addition of the Touch ID function, further enriching the device's biometric identification methods and improving the convenience and security of use.

In the chip field, from the M series of Mac to the A series of iPhone and then to the 5G modem, Apple continues to reduce its dependence on external suppliers; in the technology field, the application of technologies such as under - screen lenses and self - developed smart home chips will enhance the competitiveness of products.

The AI - empowered Siri runs through all of Apple's smart products, and the optimization of the Mac's touch function will also cooperate with the advancement of Apple Intelligence, marking that Apple's hardware has officially entered the stage of AI - driven experience upgrade.

This article is from the WeChat official account "IT Times" (ID: vittimes). Author: Lin Fei, Editor: Lin Fei, Sun Yan. Republished by 36Kr with permission.