Apple has reportedly asked its supply chain to prepare for roughly 10 million foldable iPhones, signaling a major push into the folding phone market. According to a new report from Nikkei Asia, the production ramp is targeted for a launch in the second half of 2026, with the device tentatively dubbed the “iPhone Ultra.” The news, quickly picked up by CNBC and 9to5Mac, has reignited discussions about how Apple’s entry could reshape the entire smartphone landscape—and what it means for the millions of Windows users who carry an iPhone.

The Rumor, In Plain English

Nikkei Asia dropped a bombshell this week: Apple is moving from tinkering with foldable prototypes to actually ordering production capacity from its Asian suppliers. The reported figure—10 million units—isn’t a small-scale experiment; it’s a volume that suggests Apple is betting big on the form factor. While Apple hasn’t confirmed any of this, the supply chain chatter is often a reliable indicator of the company’s hardware roadmap.

Multiple outlets have now corroborated the core details. The “iPhone Ultra” name has surfaced in prior leaks, and the 2026 timeline aligns with earlier analyst notes that Apple would wait until the technology matured. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, which uses a book-style folding design with a cover screen, the iPhone Ultra is expected to follow a similar approach, offering a tablet-sized display when opened and a phone-sized exterior when closed. The 10-million-unit order dwarfs the entire foldable market’s current volumes—Samsung shipped about the same number of foldables in all of 2023 combined.

Why 10 Million Is an Audacious Bet

Ten million foldable iPhones in the first year would be unprecedented. Samsung’s most successful foldable launch, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, is estimated to have shipped around 3–4 million units in its first year. Apple’s order signals it sees foldables not as a niche side project but as a genuine mass-market replacement for slab phones. For context, Apple ships more than 200 million iPhones each year; 10 million represents a small but significant slice of the lineup—perhaps positioned as the ultra-premium tier above the Pro Max models.

The scale alone will force suppliers to invest heavily in new manufacturing processes. Flexible OLED panels, hinge mechanisms, and reinforced glass are the three pillars of any foldable, and yields have been a constant challenge. If Apple is committing to 10 million units, it must have solved—or be confident in solving—the durability issues that have plagued early foldables. This also means component prices will drop industry-wide, possibly allowing Windows-based foldable devices (like future Surface hardware) to become more affordable.

How a Foldable iPhone Could Change the Windows-iPhone Dynamic

Windows users often live in a mixed ecosystem: a Windows PC for work and an iPhone for mobile. While Microsoft’s Phone Link app has steadily improved, the experience is still built around a single-screen phone interface. A foldable iPhone with a near-tablet-sized display opens up new productivity scenarios that could indirectly benefit Windows.

Imagine unfolding your iPhone to an 8-inch canvas and running a remote desktop client to a Windows machine, or using Microsoft’s Office apps in a split-screen mode that feels closer to a desktop. If Apple allows true multitasking on the expanded screen—a feature it has so far reserved for iPads—then the boundary between phone and laptop blurs. That could push Microsoft to accelerate Phone Link’s evolution, adding better dual-screen support and more seamless cross-device app continuity.

For IT professionals, a foldable iPhone could become a legitimate field device: large enough to view schematics or dashboards, yet pocketable. And because Apple’s silicon already rival’s entry-level laptop performance, the hardware might finally catch up to the vision of a single device that docks into a Windows-style workspace. While Apple’s ecosystem remains walled off, the sheer popularity of the iPhone means that when it gains a new form factor, the entire industry adjusts—including Microsoft’s own hardware and software strategies.

From Patent to Production: The Road to 2026

Apple has filed hundreds of foldable display patents over the past decade, but the journey from patent to product has been slow. The first credible supply chain reports emerged around 2020, predicting a 2023 launch that never materialized. Then focus shifted to 2024, then 2025. Now, the Nikkei Asia report moves the needle to 2026 with a concrete volume target, suggesting the project has moved beyond the “exploratory” phase.

Why the delay? Unlike Android makers who rushed to market with imperfect hardware, Apple has waited for the technology to meet its standards. Early foldables suffered from crease visibility, hinge failures, and poor app optimization. Samsung needed three generations to achieve a relatively seamless experience, and even then, dust resistance remained an issue. Apple’s entry in 2026 means the company likely expects to solve these problems at scale. It also means the software ecosystem—iOS, iPadOS, and third-party apps—will have two more years to mature on larger screens before the iPhone Ultra drops.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s own foldable experiment, the Surface Duo, showed both the promise and pain of folding screens. The Duo used two separate displays and a 360-degree hinge, running Android with Microsoft’s productivity layer. While it struggled commercially, the concept of a pocketable dual-screen device that integrates with Windows remains compelling. Apple’s move could reignite Microsoft’s interest in a true single-screen foldable, perhaps powered by Windows on Arm. Just as the Surface Pro forced laptop makers to rethink tablet hybrids, an Apple foldable will push the entire industry to rethink what a phone can be.

What Windows Owners Should Know Right Now

If you’re a Windows user reading this, don’t toss your current phone just yet. The iPhone Ultra is still two years away, and the rumor mill will churn through dozens of leaks before launch. Here’s what you can do in the meantime:

  • Hold off on buying a foldable if you’re on the fence. Apple’s entry will likely reshape the market, forcing competitors to lower prices or innovate faster. Android foldables will still dominate the next 18 months, but the landscape could look very different in 2026.
  • Keep an eye on Phone Link updates. Microsoft regularly adds new features to the app that bridges Windows and iOS. If Apple’s foldable gains traction, expect Microsoft to explore dual-window modes or a scaled-up interface that takes advantage of the larger screen.
  • Experiment with current cross-device workflows. Apps like Microsoft 365, OneDrive, and Edge already sync seamlessly between iOS and Windows. Getting comfortable with cloud-based workflows now will make any future foldable transition smoother.
  • Consider the business case. If you manage a fleet of devices, a foldable iPhone could eventually reduce the need for both a phone and a tablet. That could simplify procurement, though security and management policies will need updating.

Remember, this is a supply chain report, not a product announcement. Apple could cancel or delay the project, or the final device could deviate significantly from current speculation. But the volume alone suggests the company is serious.

What Comes Next for Foldables

The next 18 months will be telling. Samsung is expected to respond with a more refined Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Chinese brands like Huawei and Xiaomi are pushing triple-fold designs. Apple’s entry will likely mark the tipping point where foldables graduate from novelty to necessity. For Windows users, the biggest question is whether Microsoft will jump back into the phone hardware game or focus entirely on software to make any phone—including an iPhone Ultra—work better with Windows.

If history is any guide, Apple doesn’t invent categories; it redefines them. When it finally enters the foldable arena, the ripple effects will be felt across every ecosystem. And for the 1.4 billion Windows users worldwide, that could mean a more connected, productive mobile experience—whether Apple and Microsoft like to admit it or not.