The MacRumors Show: Apple's Foldable iPhone and Smart Home Plans

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the rumored launch of Apple's first foldable in 2026 and the company's plans to move aggressively into the smart home market.

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Earlier this week, display analyst Ross Young reported that Apple is expected to 'enter the foldable market' in the second half of 2026. Apple's 'dominant position in flagship smartphones' could potentially lead to significant growth for the foldable market in 2026, ultimately leading to a record year for foldables. There have long been rumors suggesting that Apple is developing a foldable iPhone, and several analysts believe that Apple will finally debut a foldable iPhone around September of 2026.

The first foldable ‌iPhone‌ could be between 7.9 and 8.3 inches in size, and it may have a 'clamshell' design like Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip. A clamshell ‌iPhone‌ would fold in half vertically rather than horizontally, allowing for a full-size ‌iPhone‌ when unfolded, and a smaller, pocketable device when folded.

Meanwhile, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple's long-rumored HomePod with a display has been delayed again and is now expected to launch after WWDC 2025, likely in the third quarter of the year. The new smart speaker is expected to feature Apple's A18 processor and a 6-7 inch display, with support for Apple Intelligence, says the analyst. According to Kuo, the delay is primarily attributed to software development challenges, rather than hardware issues.

There have been a multitude of rumors about a ‌‌HomePod‌ with a display since 2021, and Apple actually seems to have several products in the works. Kuo's latest report harks back to previous predictions from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who suggested Apple was developing several HomePod variants with screens, including one with an iPad-like display and another featuring a screen mounted on a robotic arm. Gurman had indicated these devices were unlikely to launch before 2025.

The new ‌HomePod‌ will reportedly emphasize smart home functionality more than current models, suggesting a strategic repositioning of the product line. The idea that Apple is targeting the smart home market follows a recent report by Gurman about Apple developing an all-in-one home management hub with a square-shaped display, thick bezels, and a hemispherical base similar to the iMac G4.

We also discuss smart home ecosystems more broadly and the Sonos Ace over-ear headphones as rivals to the AirPods Max. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about the recently leaked design of the iPhone 17 'Air' and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kevin Nether, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.Tag: The MacRumors ShowThis article, "The MacRumors Show: Apple's Foldable iPhone and Smart Home Plans" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums