In a new investor note, analyst Jeff Pu reiterated that the upcoming iPhone Fold will rely on Touch ID rather than Face ID, and listed hardware details for all iPhone 18 models expected in 2026. Here are the details.
Apple set to counter phone market dip in 2026
According to Pu, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 lineup will leave the company well positioned to gain market share, even as the broader smartphone market is expected to shrink.
Pu expects global smartphone shipments to slip 4% in 2026, “primarily due to memory costs impact amid tepid end-market, especially for Android low-to-mid end sales.”
Apple, however, is expected to counter that trend. Pu pegs iPhone shipments at 250 million units in 2026, a 2% year-over-year increase. That would lift Apple’s market share to 21%, up from 20% in 2025 and 19% in 2024.
Another contributing factor to this growth is what Pu referred to as the “resilient demand” for the iPhone 17 lineup, with Apple raising its 1Q26 build forecast to 59 million units, up from 56 million previously.
As for the expected hardware details of the iPhone 18 line, Pu shared the table below, based on GF Securities data. He reiterated previous reports that said the device will use a combination of aluminum and titanium, and feature 7.8″ (internal) and 5.3″ (external) displays:
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Fold | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | Sep-26 | Sep-26 | Sep-26 |
| Display | 6.3″ | 6.9″ | 7.8″, Sub 5.3″ |
| Processor | A20 Pro, N2, WMCM | A20 Pro, N2, WMCM | A20 Pro, N2, WMCM |
| DRAM | LPD5 12GB | LPD5 12GB | LPD5 12GB |
| Front camera | 18MP, 6P | 18MP, 6P | 18MP (Folded), 18MP (Unfolded) |
| Rear Camera | 48MP 7P VA, Periscope 48MP, 48MP 6P | 48MP 7P VA, Periscope 48MP, 48MP 6P | 48MP 7P, 48MP 6P |
| Face ID | Structured light, smaller Dynamic Island | Structured light, smaller Dynamic Island | None (Touch ID) |
| Casing | Aluminium | Aluminium | Titanium + Aluminium |
| BB | Apple C2 | Apple C2 | Apple C2 |
As a reminder, Apple is expected to launch just three iPhone models in fall 2026: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone. The base iPhone 18 is expected to arrive the following spring, alongside the iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2.
Back to the report, Pu also linked Apple’s 2026 lineup to its AI roadmap, citing the move to N2 silicon, WMCM packaging, and 12GB LPDDR5 memory across the iPhone 18 lineup to support on-device AI workloads.
The analyst said these upgrades are aimed at enabling more advanced on-device AI processing, including a more capable Siri, which he reiterated Apple expects to roll out in 2026.
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