We’ve seen foldables in all shapes and sizes from manufacturers like Samsung, Honor, Oppo, Motorola and Huawei, but what about Apple? Will we ever see the fabled iPhone Fold?
In short, yes. Apple is undoubtedly working on a foldable device behind closed doors at Apple Park. While it might still be a couple of years away from its debut, rumours provide great insight into Apple’s foldable iPhone plans – and it could be the best foldable yet.
With that said, here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone Fold right now, from the latest release date rumours to hardware leaks and more.
Last Updated: Updated on 30 July 2025 with rumours about the potential release date and price of the iPhone Fold, along with new details about screen tech, cameras and battery life.
iPhone Fold at a glance
- Book-style foldable with crease-less inner screen
- 5.5- and 7.8-inch screens
- Release likely in 2026
- Could cost $2000+
- Titanium build
- Touch ID could make a return
- Dual 48MP cameras
- Silicon-carbon battery technology
iPhone Fold rumoured release date and pricing
Apple hasn’t officially announced when it’ll showcase the foldable iPhone, but rumours give us a pretty good idea of what to expect – and we’ve still got a bit of a wait on our hands.
According to industry analyst Jeff Pu, the device entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase back in March, with Foxconn expected to start producing the iPhone Fold late in the third quarter of 2025, or early in the fourth quarter. That puts it at around September or October, depending on the specifics of Apple’s plan.
The actual announcement of the iPhone Fold is said to follow sometime in 2026, with both Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu suggesting a release in the second half of the year. Bloomberg’s ever-accurate Mark Gurman also believes it’ll be released next year.
However, multiple reports have suggested that the foldable will come at quite a premium. The general consensus among analysts and leakers is that the foldable could cost between $2,000 and $2,500 in the US, though investment banking firm UBS believes it’ll be slightly cheaper at somewhere between $1800 and $2000.
iPhone Fold design and display rumours
The idea of a foldable iPhone isn’t new, and Apple has clearly been working on it for quite some time, with a slew of foldable-related patents dating back to 2016. Of course, future-facing patents often don’t go far beyond the concept stage, but it at least indicates Apple’s interest in the emerging technology.
In fact, leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was testing both a flip-style and book-style foldable iPhone internally at one time, though more recent leaks suggest that Apple has finally settled on the latter. That essentially means it’ll look like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 rather than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone Fold could be quite the looker once it debuts. The analyst claims that Apple will use a premium titanium alloy material for the foldable, likely closely matching the titanium finish of the Pro-level iPhones.
Kuo claims that Apple is aiming for a thickness of 4.5-4.8mm when unfolded, increasing to 9-9.5mm when folded. That is thin, but we’ve already seen thinner foldables in the likes of the Oppo Find N5, Honor Magic V5 and, of course, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7. All of these measure in at 4.1-4.2mm unfolded, and around 8.9mm folded.
Interestingly, rumours suggest that Apple will do away with Face ID, the staple of the iPhone collection since the iPhone X, with the iPhone Fold. Likely due to size constraints, Apple is currently believed to be working on a Touch ID sensor that’ll be embedded into the power button.
We’ve also heard rumblings about potential screen sizes, with separate sources claiming Apple is considering a relatively pocketable 5.5-inch cover screen and a more expansive 7.8-inch foldable screen within.
More specifically, the inner screen should have a 4:3 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2713 x 1920, while the outer display boasts a similarly pixel-packed 2088 x 1422 resolution.
The foldable screen should also feel reassuringly solid despite the use of a plastic screen, thanks to a rumoured laser-drilled metal display plate that sits beneath it. Samsung has employed a similar tactic with a titanium backplate behind the Fold 7’s internal screen with great results, so we know this works.
What’s more exciting is the claim that Apple is working to entirely eradicate the foldable screen’s crease, an issue that has plagued every single foldable since they first appeared on the market. Some manufacturers, like Oppo and Honor, have made serious headway in reducing the look and feel of the crease, but it’s still there if you look for it.
According to a source speaking to Korean publication ETNews, “Apple has decided to eliminate the crease at all costs, regardless of price, to differentiate its foldable phone from existing models.” The source then goes on to claim that “it is believed that a new material property has been developed to make the crease disappear,” though it provided no details on the material.
Separately, a tipster on Weibo with a good track record of Apple-related leaks claims that Apple is designing the hinge with a new liquid metal material. The material should bring several benefits, including a massive boost to durability. According to the leaker, the “amorphous alloy” or “metallic glass” is 2.5x stronger than titanium.
The material is also resistant to bending, deformation, and pressure, making it a great candidate for Apple’s foldable hinge mechanism. It’s also said that this could help remove the crease, but just how that’s possible remains to be seen.
iPhone Fold camera rumours
With a phone rumoured to cost north of $2000, you’d assume it’d have the best camera hardware Apple offers – but that may not be the case.
Apple’s foldable is said to offer a dual camera setup, likely due to the size constraints of fitting a larger multi-camera module into a thin chassis.
More specifically, it’s rumoured that the iPhone Fold could pack a dual 48MP offering on the rear, along with a selfie camera on each of its foldable screens.
There are rumours about Apple possibly using an under-screen camera for the inner display to further add to that immersive look, but if it looks anything like Samsung’s ill-fated alternative, a regular cut-out would be better.
iPhone Fold battery rumours
Battery life is an important aspect to consider when it comes to foldables, as it takes more power than usual to run a high-res, 7.8-inch screen. Apple is seemingly well aware of this, and according to a Korean blog, it’s trying to slim components like the display driver down to make more room for more battery cells.
These cells could be of the high-capacity silicon-carbon variant if Ming-Chi Kuo is on the money. The analyst believes the high-density next-gen battery tech could make an appearance on certain models of the iPhone 17 this year before making its way to the iPhone Fold next year.
It’d make a lot of sense; compared to Lithium-ion batteries, silicon-carbon batteries can offer better capacity in the same size, or the same capacity in an even smaller footprint. Both are ideal for an ultra-slim foldable.
Opinion
Trusted Take: What we think the iPhone Fold needs
Apple has a reputation for being late in adopting technology, but it does it in a way that bests the competition, and that’s what we expect from the iPhone Fold.
If Apple manages to eliminate the internal crease that has plagued Android foldables since their inception, that’ll be a massive win.
Apple will desperately need it if it wants to hit that $2000-2500 price point, especially as we’ve already seen foldables that are thinner and offer better camera hardware than what’s rumoured to be on offer from the iPhone Fold.
