The back and forth of conflicting claims about the iPhone Fold continues, as now a vocal leaker has repeatedly scorned reports of the device being delayed until 2027.

Just to be clear, the previous most recent rumor about the iPhone Fold was that Apple will announce it as expected in September 2026, but it will not actually ship until early 2027. But now leaker Fixed Focus Digital on Chinese social media site Weibo says no, no, and four times no.

It’s an unusual post for the leaker in that it just quotes four headlines, without attribution, and says they’re wrong. In translation, two of these apparent headlines are identical, but then so is the leaker’s response. “Fake,” he says next to those.

Against another saying exactly the same thing about a delay, the leaker comments “Even more ridiculous.” Then for a final one, his or her comment appears to have defeated translation. “More pull,” say both Google Translate and Apple’s Translate app.

Later in the same thread, the leaker claims to have heard that “production capacity is a little small,” which presumably means there may not be many units of the iPhone Fold available at launch. But again in that comment, the leaker claims that stories of a delay are false.

Leaks on Weibo tend to be many and less credible than other sources because so much is copied and repeated as if new. Then even among Weibo leakers, Fixed Focus Digital has a mixed track record.

These latest comments, though, follow the same leaker’s claim in early June 2026 that various production issues will not prevent the iPhone Fold from being launched in September.

The on/off iPhone Fold

It’s now seven years since Samsung launched its first folding smartphone, and the rumors of Apple doing the same have existed for even longer. Every year without fail, there have been claims that the iPhone Fold will launch shortly, and then immediately counter-claims that it will not.

The difference this time is partly the sheer volume of rumors about a September 2026 iPhone Fold. Much of that can be attributed to the same claims being simply repeated by people with no further information, but still there are many more rumors about 2026 than we’ve seen in previous years.

Plus while Apple will of course never comment on speculation about future devices, there have now been more concrete signs that it is actively working on an iPhone Fold. As well as supplier reports, there has now also been the reveal of apparently fold-related code within iOS 27.

Working against the likelihood of a September 2026 launch, however, are the several reports of delays and problems in the manufacturing testing of the device. Plus it’s expected that the iPhone Fold would be the most expensive iPhone ever, perhaps costing as much as a Mac Studio, and launching it in the present economy might seem tone deaf.

Then, too, there is the fact that all iPhones, and all devices from all manufacturers, are being affected by the global chip shortage. Apple appears to be managing better than some, with its buying power and how far in advance it can book orders, but still it’s an increasing issue.

So conceivably, Apple may have to prioritize which devices it puts its supply of processors and memory in. But then the economy and shortages may improve, which might mean it suits Apple to announce in September 2026 but not ship until early 2027.