Foldable iPhone: Everything We Know About Apple’s Most Elusive Device

Much is already known about the foldable iPhone today. Insiders claim to know the release timeframe, approximate prices, specs, design elements, and how the device will outperform competitors. Everything listed is gathered here and organized by sections.

Note that we refer to the upcoming Apple gadget as “foldable iPhone” or “iPhone Fold” – these are the most reasonable options for now, as no one knows the actual name for sure. Also, there are no real photos of the device or its prototypes online. Therefore, all illustrations on our or other websites are conceptual or refer to foldable models from other brands.

When will the foldable iPhone be released?

Rumors that Apple is planning to release its first clamshell iPhone have been circulating online for a long time. The first mentions of a foldable iPhone appeared in 2019–2020, when the market for foldable models was just beginning to develop thanks to the release of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Flip. Some sources reported back then that Apple was about to release its answer.

However, it is already the winter of 2025–2026, and users still haven’t seen a foldable iPhone. New rumors promise the device’s release between September 2026 and early 2027. But why believe them if previous ones didn’t come true? The fact is that this time, different insiders are behind the rumors, and they are not anonymous.

A conceptual illustration of what the foldable iPhone might look like, considering the unusual aspect ratio attributed to it.

First of all, there is the chief specialist on “apple” gadgets – Mark Gurman, who works for Bloomberg. Another renowned leaker is industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Both already have a solid list of confirmed insights.

According to their data, Apple’s foldable smartphone is highly likely to be officially announced in September 2026 at the presentation of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. However, the forecast for its release is not as obvious. There are three main scenarios:

• Sales start simultaneously with the iPhone 18 Pro. The foldable iPhone could be released 1–2 weeks after the announcement in September, i.e., together with the iPhone 18 lineup. This opinion is held by JPMorgan analysts, cited by the portal MacRumors.
• Sales start closer to the holidays. In this case, the announcement in September would be early, and the device would go on sale noticeably later, for example, in November. This scenario is specifically called probable by Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo, speaking of a release closer to the end of 2026.
• Launch in early 2027. This is the option reported by the authoritative Korean publication The Elec, citing Japanese analysts from Mizuho Securities. In their opinion, Apple does not yet have time to finalize some components of the device, including the hinge.

What price point should we expect?

Whatever price various insiders name, the main thing you need to know is that the foldable iPhone will be the most expensive model in the lineup. Here are some options:

• $1,800 – the most “modest” forecast shared by Fortune, citing analysts from UBS bank.
• From $2,000 – Mark Gurman’s personal estimate, which he expressed in his piece for Bloomberg.
• From $2,000 to $2,500 – figures mentioned by Ming-Chi Kuo in his analytical note. He also believes that Apple will manage to sell between 3 to 5 million such devices in just a few months at the end of 2026.
• $2,400 – a recent forecast from Fubon Research analysts, based on their analysis of the component supply chain. The authors also believe that the Cupertino company will sell about 5.4 million iPhone Folds by the end of 2026.

Unfortunately, Apple is not known for delighting users with affordable price tags. So the figures voiced in the forecasts seem quite realistic to us.

The internal screen of the future Apple gadget in a conceptual image, taking into account rumors about an under-display front camera.

“But why so expensive?!” a user might exclaim. This is partly due to the behavior of competitors. For example, Samsung’s Fold models are significantly more expensive than their Galaxy S Ultra flagships. If the S25 Ultra started with a price tag of $1,300, the Galaxy Fold 7 has a starting price of $2,000, which is ~54% higher.

In turn, the main premium brand in China – Huawei – also makes its Fold models significantly more expensive than regular flagships. For example, the traditional flagship Mate 80 Pro Max started this year with a price tag of 8,000 yuan ($1,130). At the same time, the foldable Huawei Mate X7 was priced by the manufacturer at a steep 13,000 yuan ($1,840, ~63% more expensive).

Thus, Apple will not look too outlandish with a high price for a foldable iPhone against the background of competitors. On the other hand, both Samsung and Chinese brands also have vertical “Flip” clamshells in their assortment, which are noticeably cheaper. Apple will not initially have such a choice.

What will Apple’s foldable model look like and what are its specs?

For a long time, the main question about the foldable iPhone remained its form factor. Which path will the company take? Will it choose foldable “books” a la Galaxy Fold or something in the style of Galaxy Flip, reminiscent of flip phones from the 2000s?

If insiders are to be believed, Apple has chosen its own variant, which is difficult to classify as Fold or Flip due to significantly different aspect ratios. This information comes from the aforementioned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as well as Chinese insider Digital Chat Station.

The most accurate image, according to Digital Chat Station, demonstrating the internal screen of the new product with an aspect ratio of 14:10.

Screen Diagonals. Initially, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo cited figures of 5.5″ for the external screen and 7.8″ for the foldable one. He hasn’t made corrections since then, but other sources later began to mention slightly different numbers.

For example, information appeared about an external display with a diagonal of 5.25″. This is significantly larger than Flip models, where the external screen does not exceed 4″, but smaller than modern Fold models. In the latter, the external screen reaches 6.5″.

The diagonal of the internal foldable screen at Apple will be from 7.6″ to 7.8″. Korean sources cite the figure 7.76″. Chinese Digital Chat Station initially spoke of 7.74″, but in December 2025 reported that new prototypes had shrunk to 7.58″. In any case, this is only slightly smaller than current Folds, and noticeably larger than Flips.

Aspect Ratio. This is where all the “magic” lies. Samsung has controversial ratios for both types of their gadgets:

• Galaxy Flip models: external screen is small and square, internal screen is very tall/narrow.
• Galaxy Fold models: external screen is very tall/narrow, internal screen is almost square.
• Apple model: external screen is medium in diagonal, neither elongated nor square; internal screen is more “cinematic” with an aspect ratio of 14:10 or 4:3.

The square shape used by competitors is, to put it mildly, inconvenient for watching videos and gaming; there will be huge black bars on the screen due to unused space. And overly elongated screens leave too little space in width, making them inconvenient for reading web pages and social media feeds.

Samsung Galaxy Flip 7 (left) and Fold 7. Photo: PCMag.

Therefore, Apple is taking a different path, creating its own form of foldable device. The internal screen may receive an aspect ratio close to 14:10, and the external one – something around 3:2. In other words, something not square, but also without excessive elongation. Compared to the Galaxy Fold, it will be more comfortable to type on the external screen, and to watch videos and play games on the internal one.

The device itself won’t stick out high from your pants or shirt pocket, but it will require a slightly wider pocket.

No need to rotate. Another interesting feature stemming from Apple’s idea is that you won’t have to rotate the screen often. The Samsung Galaxy Fold needs to be turned on its side to view widescreen content since its height is greater than its width. The foldable iPhone promises to be more thoughtful in this regard.

Screen Area. It would seem that the difference between 6.9″ in the iPhone 17 Pro Max and roughly 7.8″ in the foldable model is not that great. However, the differences become much more significant when aspect ratios are taken into account. For clarity, we have collected the data in one table:

The foldable iPhone screen will be larger than one might think looking only at the diagonal inches.

Thus, the area of the internal screen of the new product could be up to 188 square centimeters. This is 60% larger than the iPhone 17 Pro Max screen. If the foldable iPhone gets a more modest screen with a diagonal of 7.58″, as recent rumors suggest, its area is about 178 sq. cm. Even in this case, the display will still exceed the Pro Max model in size by 52%.

In addition, the external screen of 5.5″, small by modern standards, will actually not be that small. If we take into account the aspect ratio, the 5.5″ display in the foldable model will only slightly yield in area to the current iPhone 17 and 17 Pro with their 6.3″.

Thickness of the foldable iPhone is also known thanks to insiders. It will be 9–9.5 mm. This is symbolically thicker than the current Galaxy Z Fold 7 with its 8.9 mm thickness. But at the same time, the Apple gadget will be significantly thinner than the Fold 6 (12.1 mm) and all Flips with their classic thickness of 13–16 mm.

Battery Capacity. Miracles are not expected here, but the battery of the foldable model promises to be larger than that of other iPhone models and the main competitor represented by the Galaxy Z Fold. The latter, recall, has only 4400 mAh. Rumors immediately promised the new Apple product a 5000 mAh battery and more.

However, recent data, originating from the Korean rumor aggregator yeux1122 (medium level of reliability), indicate a larger battery from 5400 to 5800 mAh. Moreover, this is allegedly the capacity of test samples, and the numbers may grow slightly by the final assembly. This has already happened with the iPhone Air, which Apple tested with ~3000 mAh batteries, but eventually installed 3149 mAh.

Pura X is Huawei’s attempt to play against Apple proactively. However, the “apple” gadget will still have larger screens and a slightly different aspect ratio.

Body Materials. The main material is titanium. Apple first added it back in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, replacing steel, which is heavier and not as strong. However, in the iPhone 17 Pro models, the company took a step back, or rather two, returning to aluminum. The latter is always used in regular iPhone models (non-Pro).

The main reason for the refusal is the high cost of titanium, as well as the fact that it dissipates heat poorly. However, Apple’s foldable will feature specifically titanium in the body, as well as a hinge created from a combination of titanium and steel. This is what Ming-Chi Kuo believes, although another analyst – Jeff Pu – still names a combination of titanium and aluminum for the hinge.

Cameras. The first generation of foldable iPhones, according to rumors, in addition to two front cameras (for external and internal screens), will offer only two rear cameras – main and wide-angle. There will be no telephoto lens, which is important for zoom and portrait shots. On the other hand, we believe that the main camera will still be closer to the iPhone Pro and will offer a large 1/1.28″ sensor instead of the 1/1.56″ used in standard models.

User Recognition. Another short but important touch to the image of the foldable iPhone. The gadget will not have Face ID facial recognition; instead, it will rely on a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the form of a side button. It doesn’t sound very plausible, as Apple has used Touch ID only in the iPhone SE in recent years. However, one of the most authoritative insiders – Ming-Chi Kuo – is behind this rumor.

Pura X, like the Galaxy Fold from Samsung, also uses a side fingerprint scanner. All for the sake of reducing the thickness of the device.

Other characteristics known thanks to insiders include support for eSIM only, as well as the use of the proprietary C2 modem.

How could the foldable iPhone be better than a regular one?

Why is a hypothetical iPhone Fold needed at all, and with such a high price tag? In fact, such a solution has advantages, and quite a few of them. Here is how Apple’s foldable model can be better even than current versions of the iPhone Pro Max:

1. Screen Size. Current iPhone Pro Max models have already reached a diagonal of 6.9″, and moving further is fraught with ergonomic problems. Therefore, further display enlargement falls specifically on foldable models. Users will get a screen 50-60% larger in area than the Pro Max, which is at the same time easy and convenient to carry.
2. Screen Quality. The foldable iPhone could be the first from Apple with a promising CoE OLED screen, as reported by The Elec. Such a display should be brighter, have less glare, and consume less energy. Another claim by insiders is related to Apple’s use of under-display front cameras. This would rid the gadget of cutouts in the screen; however, note that this rumor has a lower degree of credibility than others.
3. Advanced Multitasking. Firstly, the 14:10 aspect ratio in the internal screen itself helps to conveniently separate different applications into two halves. Secondly, there is an external display on which it is convenient to bring up some information during work and return to it without touching the main screen.
4. Its Own Stand. You have no idea how convenient this simplest feature of foldable smartphones can be. The screen can be tilted at any angle, and it will “hover” in this position. This is useful in a multitude of situations, including video calls and typing text.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 in Flex mode. Photo: ZDNET.

5. More convenience for one-handed use. This concerns the external screen. It won’t be elongated like modern smartphones, making one-handed operation easier.
6. Selfies and vlogs on main cameras. Front cameras of devices are always severely cut down in sensor size and optics. Foldable models allow you to take selfies and record videos on the main cameras, while the external screen acts as a viewfinder.
7. High Autonomy. If rumors don’t lie, then in the iPhone Fold we will see a battery significantly larger than in other iPhones, as well as a CoE OLED screen that consumes less energy. In addition, a small external screen will often be enough for the user (checking notifications, quick replies in messengers, etc.). As a result, the foldable model has a chance to last longer than regular ones.
8. Stylus. There are only rumors about this so far, and truly reliable insiders have not confirmed such information. Still, the foldable model could become the first iPhone with support for Apple Pencil styluses. Styluses are not just a matter of drawing and handwritten notes; their utility is much broader, especially when you work with text.
9. “Magical” Effect. The last point on our list, unlike the previous ones, is not practical, but aesthetic. We are talking about the effect of opening and closing the gadget itself, which is pleasant tactilely and visually, especially if equipped with appropriate vibrations and animations in the interface. Manufacturers of foldable models have succeeded greatly in this, and Apple can also offer something beautiful.

Another concept of a foldable iPhone, created considering rumors about a dual rear camera.

In general, the foldable model is primarily a gadget for more comfortable work and content consumption. The idea is to create a kind of intermediate link between the iPhone Pro Max and the iPad mini, sparing the user the need to buy both of these devices, carry them together, and constantly transfer various files between them.

What will be the new product’s strengths against competitors?

Competing companies have been offering their foldable models for about 6–7 years, adding features and fixing controversial points with each generation. For example, the Galaxy Fold itself, since its appearance in 2019, has become 43% thinner, 22% lighter, received stylus support, larger screens, a huge camera upgrade, and much more.

What can Apple offer in this case that competitors don’t have yet? If insiders are to be believed, the main advantages of the Apple novelty will lie in the following:

1. Absence of a visible crease at the screen fold. The crease is one of the main downsides of foldable smartphones that has plagued them since their inception. Leak authors note that Apple has ordered an innovative display from Samsung that will finally rid the gadget of this imperfection. Samsung itself does not use such screens for its Fold 7, but may start with the Galaxy Fold 8.
2. Durability and longevity of the body. Apple intends to use an advanced titanium alloy in both the hinge and the body materials themselves. This will cost them dearly, but the body might end up being stronger and more wear-resistant than most competitors.

Screen crease on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Photo: GSMArena.

3. Thoughtful aspect ratios. We already wrote about this above. While competing Fold models offer elongated external screens and almost square internal ones, Apple will go its own way. The internal display of the foldable iPhone will be better suited for watching videos and games, leaving significantly fewer black bars on the edges.
4. High Autonomy. While Samsung has been using a 4400 mAh battery in its Folds for several years in a row, and Huawei faces problems due to “power-hungry” Kirin processors (7 nm), Apple may well pull ahead. iOS, which is economical in terms of resource consumption, energy-efficient A20 processors (2 nm), a CoE OLED screen, and a battery larger than 5000 mAh can yield an impressive result.
5. Ecosystem Integration. The foldable iPhone will offer a tight, seamless, and multifaceted connection with all other Apple gadgets. These are AirPods, Watch, Mac, iPad, AirTag, and so on. Competitors are limited here for obvious reasons.
6. Traditional iPhone Features. These include the main camera equipped with sensor-shift stabilization, advanced video recording capabilities, a LiDAR sensor, “magnetic” wireless charging, satellite communication with wide coverage, the Taptic Engine vibration motor, Ceramic Shield protective glass, front cameras based on a large square sensor, and up to 2 TB of storage. All of the listed features may appear in the foldable model as well.

Current iPhone 17 Pro Max flagships. Photo: TechCrunch.

As a separate bonus point, let us recall again the rumor about under-display front cameras for the foldable screen. It was published by the Koreans yeux1122, and in late 2025 mentioned by Digital Chat Station. “Stronger” sources like Ming-Chi Kuo or Mark Gurman are currently silent on this topic. However, if this is true, then competitors do not offer analogs right now.

Of all manufacturers of foldable smartphones, only Samsung tried to make the gadget’s internal screen free of a cutout. In several generations of the Galaxy Fold, there was a hidden camera on the flexible screen. However, both the quality of “hiding” and the quality of its work caused complaints. But instead of an update, the Korean company simply abandoned the unique feature in the Galaxy Fold 7, giving Apple the opportunity to stand out from the competition.

Is Apple too late with its foldable device?

Apple is entering the foldable market many years after the market itself appeared. Some manufacturers currently have entire lines of foldable devices formed.

For example, Samsung has the Galaxy Fold “book,” vertical Flip clamshells, slightly more affordable Flip FE, as well as the newest Galaxy Z TriFold with a double fold and a huge common foldable screen.

Huawei’s arsenal is even more extensive; in addition to the Fold (Mate X), TriFold (Mate XT), and Flip analogs, a model has already appeared there, partly reminiscent of the future foldable iPhone in its concept. This gadget is called Pura X; it came out in the spring and offers an internal screen with an aspect ratio of 16:10.

However, analysts believe that the battle is far from lost for Apple. Quite the contrary. The brand strength is so high that even with one model, the company can immediately capture an impressive market share. For example, the analytical agency IDC believes that already in 2027, Apple will be able to take 30% of the foldable market:

Apple’s emergence and growth in the foldable smartphone arena according to IDC.

Moreover, according to IDC forecasts, the market itself will start growing significantly faster thanks to Apple. While almost stagnation is expected among regular smartphones, foldable devices will begin to gain popularity with figures up to 20-30% per year.

According to IDC analysts, foldable models will become the main trend and driver of smartphone market growth, even despite high prices.

Speaking of specific figures, different sources predict the company will sell between 3 and 5.4 million foldable smartphones in 2026. That is, in just 2–4 months from the moment the foldable iPhone is released. Apple itself, according to insider Ming-Chi Kuo, initially intended to ship 6–8 million devices to stores, but then increased its plans to 8–10 million. The analyst draws such a conclusion from the component order numbers known to him.

It is worth clarifying here that shipment figures are always higher than real sales. Meanwhile, Apple’s plans for 2027 allegedly increased from 10–15 to 20–25 million. For comparison, analysts predict figures of only 2.4 million units sold for the current Galaxy Z Fold 7 models from Samsung for 2025.

In addition to brand strength, Apple has another success factor. While other companies started with very bulky devices about one and a half centimeters thick, devoid of water protection and with thick bezels around the screens, Apple can immediately start with a smartphone without such flaws. And the first impression of a series always plays an important role.

Evolution from the first generation Galaxy Fold to the current seventh. The weight of the gadget has decreased by 22%, although the screens have become significantly larger.

Particularly noteworthy here is the number of folding cycles that the device’s display can withstand. The first models of foldable smartphones offered at best 100–200 thousand folding cycles, although in fact, the screen began to deteriorate noticeably long before reaching these figures.

For the current Galaxy Fold 7, Samsung claims an “endurance” of already 500 thousand folding cycles. In turn, the Apple foldable model next year could theoretically offer even higher reliability figures.

In other words, Apple didn’t wait all these years for nothing, to some extent. Now the company will be able to introduce a gadget only symbolically thicker than regular iPhones. A durable titanium body, protective glass, and the screen itself will make the device more long-lasting. Users are also entitled to expect full water protection, the absence of a crease in the center of the screen, and a high-capacity battery.

Finally, note that according to data from both Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo, the foldable iPhone is not some one-time experiment, but a full-fledged new lineup that will be released annually. Both sources note that the second version of the foldable iPhone will appear as early as the fall of 2027 together with the anniversary iPhone in a new design.