Cheaper Vision Air, Foldable iPhone, And Foldable iPad Coming In The Next Three Years, Insider Says

The iPhone 17 series will kickstart an iPhone design revolution, with the next three generations set to deliver interesting innovations. The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will be available in stores in a few weeks. The first foldable iPhone will launch alongside the iPhone 18 series next year. Then, the 20th anniversary iPhone 20 will deliver a brand-new design in 2027.

But if Ming-Chi Kuo's new report is accurate, Apple is also going to deliver meaningful product refreshes elsewhere in the coming three years. A more affordable Vision Pro version, informally called the Vision Air, might launch in 2027. And possibly, a foldable iPad will hit stores in 2028, two years after the first foldable iPhone's arrival.

The analyst is well known for his accurate predictions about unreleased Apple products, usually obtaining his information from sources embedded in Apple's massive supply chain in Asia. The new report focuses on one such supplier, General Interface Solution (GIS), which should profit from producing components for the products mentioned above.

Launched last year, the Vision Pro spatial computer is one of Apple's most sophisticated products. The device is more than a traditional virtual reality (VR) headset, featuring advanced hardware that makes possible a new computing experience. Put the Vision Pro on your head, and you end up with a massive canvas in front of your eyes that blends digital elements with your reality. The Vision Pro's operating system also served as the inspiration for the massive transformation iOS 26 received this year — the Liquid Glass design.

But the Vision Pro is expensive, starting at $3,500. The headset is also heavy, making prolonged use more difficult. That's what the Vision Air aims to fix. Kuo says that Apple should address the price and weight criticisms with a 2027 spatial computer that should be more than 50% cheaper and over 40% lighter than the original Vision Pro.

If the estimates are accurate, the Vision Air could cost less than $1,750, which is what you'd pay for an upgraded MacBook Air or MacBook Pro at the time of this writing. The Vision Pro weighs between 600g and 650g. The Vision Air should weigh under 400g if Kuo's estimates are accurate. That would make it lighter than the 515g Meta Quest 3, and the 560g Sony PlayStation VR2.

GIS will reportedly become the sole supplier of pancake lenses used in the Vision Air. Kuo notes that GIS is also in charge of laminating the current Vision Pro, and the M5 Vision Pro model expected in the second half of 2025. Vision Air shipments should reach 1 million in 2027. The more expensive Vision Pro models don't surpass 400,000 units, Kuo said.

GIS will be working with Corning on the backend processes related to the Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) cover that will sit atop the foldable displays for the iPhone and iPad. Kuo explains that GIS will handle "cutting, edge/corner treatment, inspection, inner/outer packaging, and shipping." These backend processes are "substantially" more complex than those related to cover glass for traditional smartphones, raising costs. GIS will also be the exclusive handler of foldable iPad UTG covers. Shipments will start in late 2027 or early 2028.

Kuo explains that Corning will handle the foldable UTG covers after GIS handles the backend processes. For example, the foldable iPhone's UTG panels will be sent to cutting facilities to be sized and then to the panel maker (SDC) for lamination. The foldable UTG covers for the iPad should follow a similar route, though Kuo doesn't name other companies involved in the supply chain. Foldables from the competition, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (above) also feature UTG covers.

The insider suggests Apple has big plans for the foldable iPhone. The company reportedly revised upward shipment estimates for the model. Apple aims to sell 8-10 million units in 2026 and 20-25 million in 2027. Previous estimates were 6-8 million and 10-15 million, respectively. The foldable iPad should sell between 500,000 and 1 million units in 2028.

Kuo's reports might usually be accurate, but Apple's plans can't be confirmed at this time. The analyst notes that Apple is looking to speed up both AI development and hardware innovation starting with 2026. The complexity of UTG backend processes for the foldable Apple devices, combined with large volumes for the foldable iPhone and Vision Air, and higher UTG costs for the foldable iPad, should accelerate GIS growth in the next three years.