Apple’s upcoming iPhone Fold is walking into a foldable phone market that is the most vibrant it has ever been, according to new research. Coupled with the success of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its unusual design, the iPhone Fold couldn't have better timing.But that doesn’t guarantee success, because foldable phones, especially high-priced first-generation ones, come with real challenges that don’t exist for regular slab phones. iPhone Fold Enters A Market That Is BoomingThe Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold proved that wide foldables are popular before the iPhone Fold release. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesNew data from Omdia forecasts the global foldable market will grow more than 20% annually through 2028, hitting 36 million units. In the first half of 2026 alone, 5.1 million foldable phones shipped. Clamshell foldables (flip phones) saw shipments collapse 47% year-on-year. Book-style devices, the kind Apple is making and like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, now account for 69% of all foldable shipments. Counterpoint Research's Enze Qi put it plainly: "In-fold has moved from a secondary form factor to the mainstream."MORE FOR YOUThe good news doesn't stop there. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 recorded 1.44 million pre-orders in seven days in South Korea alone, breaking Samsung's own all-time record. 70% of those buyers chose the new wide format over the tall-shaped Ultra.ForbesiPhone 17 Pro Max Price Slashed Ahead Of iPhone 18 ReleaseBy Janhoi McGregorAs I reported earlier this month, Samsung has since ordered 1 million additional units to meet demand. That is the clearest possible signal that the squat, 4:3 book-style foldable has mass appeal. By luck or some excellent planning, Apple chose the same shape for the iPhone Fold.If the leaks are correct and Apple is indeed planning to produce 10 million units, which is more than three times Samsung’s initial order of 2.8 million, we will likely see this style of foldable phone become not only wildly popular, but also mainstream.The iPhone Fold Will Face Some Big ChallengesNone of this means the iPhone Fold will succeed, though, because foldable phones are notoriously complex, especially at scale. Apple is doing this for the first time, so it has to hope that the hinge holds up across the millions of different ways it will be used and flexed. The foldable UI also needs to be smooth from the start. It took Samsung years to get this right after some janky early iterations that struggled with app-resizing and multitasking.There's also the cost. If analyst predictions prove correct and the iPhone Fold tops out at $2,400, Apple will have to find a way to make that enticing through pre-order deals and high trade-in prices. ForbesiPhone 17 Pro Max Price Slashed Ahead Of iPhone 18 ReleaseBy Janhoi McGregorThere’s also the repair issue. Foldable displays are expensive to replace, which may put some buyers off. Battery life, too, could be a concern for regular iPhone buyers who aren't used to how quickly powering two and a half screens can drain a cell.But the excitement for wide foldable phones can't be ignored, nor can the growing interest in foldables more broadly. Both suggest Apple is making the iPhone Fold at the best possible time. We'll just have to see if it can make a device that is as good as its timing.