The Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu has made some startling predictions about Apple’s movements over the next two years, which include a new ‘Slim’ model of iPhone 17 and the company’s debut in the foldable space.
Apple’s first foldable devices The analyst Pu claims that Apple has “accelerated” its foldable work, with “increasing visibility” of the company’s foldable devices on supply chain checks.
9to5Mac covered what Pu had to say about Apple’s foldable plans.
It has previously been suggested that Apple won’t dive in with a foldable iPhone, and will instead test the waters in one of its lesser product categories, like a folding iPad or a MacBook/iPad hybrid.
Two screen sizes are apparently being weighed up for the foldable iPhone: 7.9 inches and 8.3 inches.
A new iPhone 17 ‘Slim’ model In a research note seen by 9to5Mac, the analyst claims that Apple will do away with its reportedly underperforming ‘Plus’ model in 2026, replacing it with the iPhone 17 Slim.
Pu states that the two basic iPhone 17s will feature an A18 or A19 chipset, backed up by 8GB RAM.
Both these and the smaller 6.3-inch iPhone 17 Pro will apparently feature a “more complex” aluminum design.
Regarding Apple’s movements over the next two years, analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities has made some shocking predictions. These include the company’s entry into the foldable space and the release of a new “Slim” model of iPhone 17.
The initial foldable devices from Apple.
According to analyst Pu, Apple’s efforts on foldable technology have “accelerated,” and the company’s foldable devices are now “more visible” during supply chain inspections. What Pu had to say regarding Apple’s foldable plans was covered by 9to5Mac.
There have been earlier rumors that Apple will experiment with one of its lower-tier product categories, such as a folding iPad or a MacBook/iPad hybrid, before launching a foldable iPhone. While the global tablet market is smaller than that of smartphones, it is nevertheless a useful area to experiment in because Apple dominates it in a way that the smartphone market does not.
This seems to be confirmed by the Pu investor note, which projects the arrival of an iPhone Fold or iPhone Flip towards the end of 2026, and a 20.33-inch foldable device in late 2025.
For now, neither has a lot of information available. Given the price of foldables and Apple’s higher-end goods in general, Pu claims that the first foldable will be a “new line-up for Apple” targeted directly at the “ultra-high-end market.”. If it possesses the same level of power as a MacBook Pro with a foldable screen, it might surpass the $2,500 threshold and approach the $3,500 price point of the Vision Pro.
It seems that two screen sizes—7.9 inches and 8.3 inches—are being considered for the foldable iPhone.
Although Apple will have been working on this behind the scenes for some time, 9to5Mac refers to this 2025–2026 launch window as an “incredibly aggressive timeline,” which is accurate from a standing start. It would be approximately seven years after the release of the Samsung Galaxy Fold in September 2019 if a folding iPhone is released by the end of 2026.
It will be interesting to see if others confirm or provide an alternative timeline in the coming weeks and months, but for now, this is just Pu’s prediction.
a fresh “Slim” version of the iPhone 17.
According to a research note obtained by 9to5Mac, the analyst predicts that Apple will drop its ‘Plus’ model in 2026 and replace it with the iPhone 17 Slim. An 6.6-inch display is reportedly included in this; it is smaller than the 6.7-inch panel on the iPhone 15 Plus but noticeably larger than the 6.1-inch panel expected in the iPhone 17.
A18 or A19 chipsets supported by 8GB RAM are what Pu claims the two entry-level iPhone 17s will have. These will reportedly have an aluminum design that is “more complex” than that of the smaller, 6.3-inch iPhone 17 Pro.
However, the new “metalens” technology powering the proximity sensor on the 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max will allow for a “narrowed Dynamic Island” and the device to maintain its titanium build. This could result in a significant reduction in the Face ID footprint.
It should come as no surprise that the analyst believes the A19 chipset will be present in both Pro models, but what is more unexpected is the memory prediction he made. According to Pu, Apple believes that improved internals are necessary for its ambitious on-device AI plans to succeed in the future. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to have 12GB RAM each, which is a significant increase over the 8GB RAM in the current models.
