Apple is reportedly gearing up for a major push in 2026, targeting roughly 10% growth in smartphone shipments and leaning on a long-anticipated foldable iPhone to make it happen. Supply chain chatter says the company is testing foldable prototypes in Taiwan and has discussed building a test production line with partners, with an eye toward mass production in India in 2026. Early planning points to a preliminary production target of around 95 million units, with expectations that a new foldable model will create a halo effect that lifts demand across the entire iPhone lineup.
The growth targets would set new records if they pan out. Apple shipped 232 million iPhones in 2024. IDC projects about 4% growth for 2025, or roughly 241 million units. A further 10% increase from those implied 2025 levels would put Apple near 265 million iPhones in 2026—above the 200 million to just-under-250 million range the company has typically posted annually since 2015.
Early demand signals for Apple’s latest generation are also drawing attention. According to Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan, current pre-order ship times for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are running longer than comparable timelines for last year’s iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 17 Pro is averaging an 18-day wait versus 14 days for the iPhone 16 Pro at the same stage. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is at 25 days versus 23 days last year. Most striking, the base iPhone 17 is seeing an average ship time of 19 days, nearly double the 10-day wait for the base iPhone 16 and the longest early wait in several years—comparable to the iPhone 11 launch in 2019.
If Apple’s foldable iPhone arrives on schedule, expect it to be positioned as a key driver for both shipments and brand momentum in 2026. Testing in Taiwan and potential mass production in India suggest Apple is laying the groundwork to scale quickly. Combined with already stretched pre-order timelines for the newest models, the company appears to be heading into 2026 with strong demand signals and an ambitious plan to set a new peak for annual iPhone shipments.
