GoKawiilCNET Previews 2026 Phone Lineup: Foldable iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro Expected
CNET has outlined its expectations for major smartphone launches through 2026, following recent releases from Samsung, Google and Apple. The report suggests Apple may split its iPhone 18 launch, debuting a foldable iPhone Ultra soon while delaying the standard iPhone 18 to early next year, as RAM shortages and AI competition pressure manufacturers to balance innovation with pricing.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
A staggered launch schedule and component shortages signal broader supply chain strain across the smartphone industry, not just at Apple. As Chinese manufacturers like Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi push camera and foldable innovations, competitive pressure could reshape how flagship features trickle down to mid-range devices in 2026.
- Apple may delay the base iPhone 18 to early 2026 while releasing a foldable iPhone Ultra sooner.
- RAM shortages and AI competition are constraining phone-makers' ability to innovate without raising prices.
- Chinese brands are pushing boundaries in foldable design and mobile photography, pressuring flagship makers.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Foldable Smartphone — If the rumored foldable iPhone Ultra has you curious about the format, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold is the foldable you can actually buy today. It unfolds into a tablet-sized screen for multitasking, reading and gaming, and folds back into a pocketable phone — exactly the design language the article says Apple is chasing in 2026.
See Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Foldable Smartphone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Prakhar Khanna, 2026-08-25
Published there as: “Foldable iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro and Other Phones We Expect to Launch in 2026”
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