Apple will soon launch its first foldable iPhone: Details, release date, and more

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:

The foldable iPhone will have a book-style design, featuring an approximately 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and an approximately 5.5-inch outer display.

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:

Touch ID returns as a side button, as Face ID may be absent due to thickness and internal space constraints.

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:

DSCC’s latest report on the foldable and rollable/slidable display market for all display applications shows that the foldable smartphone market has stalled. After enjoying at least 40% growth per year from 2019-2023, DSCC now believes the foldable smartphone display market will rise just 5% in 2024 and fall by 4% in 2025. Demand has stalled at around 22M panels.

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.