Rumors about foldable iPhones have circulated for many years, but recent reports have suggested that Apple is finally getting closer to announcing its new product.Apple is reportedly working on two foldable products, a foldable iPhone with an ~8-inch inner display, and a giant 20-inch foldable iPad.The foldable iPhone is on track to debut first.
Screen details Apple’s first foldable iPhone is reportedly going to be a book-style foldable, something akin to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold – with a phone-sized display on the outside, and a larger tablet-sized display on the inside when you unfold the product.Per industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s foldable iPhone will feature a 7.8-inch display on the inside, and a 5.5-inch display on the outside.This screen will reportedly also be crease free: Another leaker has also added that the iPhone Fold will offer a near 4:3 aspect ratio, making the inner display similar to a previous-gen iPad mini.
Other hardware details According to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone Fold will boast premium hardware, though it won’t be free of compromises.For one, Apple won’t be able to squeeze Face ID into the thin chassis.It’ll be 4.5mm unfolded, and 9mm folded.
For reference, the 13-inch iPad Pro comes in at 5.1mm thick, so the foldable iPhone would be the thinnest Apple device yet: That said, it’ll still be built quite well.The foldable iPhone will combine “stainless steel and titanium alloy” in the hinge, and full titanium alloy for the casing.Foldable market Apple’s upcoming iPhone Fold will reportedly bolster a declining foldable market, according to the Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC).
From 2019 to 2023, the foldable market enjoyed a staggering 40% year over year growth rate.However, the group believes that’ll slow significantly to around 5% growth in 2024, and the market will actually begin facing a sales decline beginning in 2025: However, the group believes that Apple stepping into the market could cause a rapid increase in foldable demand, as the company could bring new functionality to the table.I’ve personally heard many people state that they like the concept of foldable phones, but just can’t ditch their iPhone.
Pricing The iPhone Fold is going to be quite a bit pricey, according to one report.It’ll likely start between $2100 and $2300, per one leaker.That’d put it slightly higher than the Android competition, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Apple is going for a premium product here, and the price will reflect that.Release date According to multiple sources, Apple’s first foldable iPhone will debut in the second half of 2026, likely alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.This presumes there aren’t any more developmental delays.
In mid 2024, Apple assigned a new V68 codename to the project – suggesting that this product has moved past just the prototyping stage, and we should expect to see it in our hands in the not-too-distant future.My favorite Apple accessories on Amazon: Anker 25K Compact Power Bank with retractable cable MOFT Magnetic Wallet Stand, fits up to 3 cards AirTag 4-pack (on sale for 20% off!) Anker MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand with Qi2 AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) SanDisk Extreme 2TB USB-C SSD, up to 1050MB/s Aulumu Vegan Leather Case for iPhone 16 Pro You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop.
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