For the past couple of years, we have been hearing rumors about Appleโs plan for its first foldable phone. While its rival Samsung is now gearing up to launch its seventh generation of foldable phone lineup, Apple is several years behind in the race for foldable phones. Now, it appears the Cupertino tech giant is finally ready to join the foldable market. Rumors suggest Appleโs first foldable iPhone could go official at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Apple was mainly working on eliminating the visible crease on display in the unfolded state โ an issue in current foldable devices, including Samsung. The company has reportedly fixed the issue by developing a new material property.
New details surface on Appleโs first foldable iPhone
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the foldable iPhone will feature a roughly 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and a roughly 5.5-inch outer display. Its thickness ranges from 9 to 9.5mm at folded state and 4.5 to 4.8mm at unfolded state, matching the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7โs reported thickness.
Speaking of its design, it will have a book-style design and a side-mounted fingerprint reader (Touch ID as a side button) โ similar to Samsungโs Galaxy Z Fold series devices. The hinge will be built with a mix of stainless steel and titanium alloy, while the casing will consist entirely of titanium alloy. Regarding cameras, it will sport a dual rear camera setup with a front-facing camera unit for both folded and unfolded states.
The phone will pack the same high-density battery cells as the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17. It is worth noting that Apple has yet to finalize its specs โ Kuo says the firm will lock the specs in the second quarter of 2025. The official project will likely begin in the third quarter of 2025, with mass production slated for the fourth quarter of 2026. Apple aims to ship 3โ5 million units of its foldable iPhone in 2026.
As far as pricing is concerned, the first-generation foldable iPhone could cost above $2,000 and $2,500, which makes it more expensive than Samsungโs Fold lineup. It will be interesting to see how Appleโs fanbase reacts to this premium price point.
