Analyst Jeff Pu's latest investor note outlines key hardware for Apple's 2026 iPhone lineup, including the foldable model. He confirms the iPhone Fold will use Touch ID instead of Face ID and feature a 7.8-inch internal and 5.3-inch external display. The standard iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models will launch alongside it in September.

Pu projects Apple will ship 250 million iPhones in 2026, boosting its market share to 21% even as the broader smartphone market shrinks. The forecast relies on resilient demand for the iPhone 17 lineup and Apple's planned hardware upgrades. The entire iPhone 18 series will use the A20 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, and new packaging to support advanced on-device AI processing.

The analyst links these specs to Apple's broader AI roadmap, noting the silicon and memory upgrades are necessary for a more capable Siri. The iPhone Fold’s casing will combine titanium and aluminum, a premium approach for the new form factor. While the foldable and Pro models arrive in fall 2026, a base iPhone 18 is expected the following spring.