iPhone Fold: What we know about specs, price, release date

The long-awaited foldable iPhone — rumored to be called the iPhone Fold — should arrive soon. So far, Apple has kept a very tight lid on its first-ever foldable phone, but all signs point to a fall 2026 release.

Tech enthusiasts and early adopters already love foldables — and they have plenty of options — but Apple’s been notably absent from the genre. As we await official details, here’s everything we know about the future addition to the iPhone lineup, including the latest rumors, possible specifications, and pricing information.

When will the iPhone Fold be released?

We think the iPhone Fold is coming in the fall of 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Numerous rumors pointed to this over the last year, so it seems pretty certain at this point, though a delay is still a possibility, especially given the global memory shortage.

We’ve also heard several reports about Samsung Display producing the OLED displays for the iPhone Fold, which is likely, as Samsung’s got the best flexible display tech in the game. There’s a reason Samsung released the Galaxy TriFold while the world is still waiting on the first foldable iPhone.

How much will the iPhone Fold cost, and will people buy it?

The iPhone Fold is likely to be expensive. An early estimate from research analyst Arthur Liao suggested the price tag for the Fold — gulp — could come in around $2,399. That’s in line with expectations in a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC). Last year, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone Fold is likely to retail between $2,000 and $2,500.

Despite the sizable cost (the flagship Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999.99), sales expectations remain high. The IDC report estimated Apple would siphon one-third of the spending in the foldable market in 2026.

“But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2,400,” read the report.

The latest iPhone Fold leaks

The most recent leaks point to two rear cameras, not three.
Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable

Most recently, a leaker known as Instant Digital posted some alleged renders of the iPhone to the Chinese social media site Weibo. Like most leaks, especially the ones pertaining to Apple, we can’t confirm their authenticity. However, they line up with earlier reports of the overall look of the phone.

Instant Digital makes some interesting claims. Most notably, the report says the iPhone Fold will have the largest-ever iPhone battery.

“The volume buttons are not on the left side,” reads a translation of the post. “Instead, they are placed directly on the top of the right-side frame (similar to the volume button layout on the top of the iPad mini). This may take some getting used to for users’ typical phone habits.”

The post also stated, “The rear dual camera + right-side microphone + flash are arranged horizontally. The camera module appears to be fully black and does not match the body color. Currently, the only confirmed color is white, but it is expected that Apple will launch two color options.”

In December 2025, we also saw lots of alleged leaks and renders, which all share a similar design. We’d take these with a grain of salt, of course.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

What will the iPhone Fold specs look like?

The iPhone Fold remains a mystery to some extent, of course, but we do have a very rough idea of what it could offer. The report from UDN noted the iPhone Fold could be creaseless, which means you wouldn’t see that awkward line when it was folded open.

Since then, we’ve seen several reports claiming that Apple is committed to making the iPhone Fold’s display the best it can possibly be. It should be very durable, super thin, and yes, without a visible crease.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also posted several reports on the iPhone Fold recently, including laying out the basic specs for the device. He said that the foldable iPhone would be a book-style foldable with four cameras — two on the back, one on the inside, and one front selfie camera. Gurman also predicted it would use Touch ID, even though iPhones typically use Face ID.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported earlier this year that the iPhone Fold would have a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, and measure in at just 9 to 9.5mm of thickness. We heard another rumor in September 2025, which claimed the iPhone Fold would look like two iPhone Airs put together, with a similar thickness of 5.6mm. Why the discrepancy between the two reports? It could be the difference between the device’s thickness when folded and unfolded.

What would you want to see in a foldable iPhone design? Let us know in the comments.
Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable

There’s also talk about Apple using innovative tech to make the iPhone Fold lighter and more durable than most foldables. These rumors include a report that the company is using liquid metal for the phone’s hinge, which should improve durability.

Mashable’s Alex Perry also compared the potential specs of the iPhone Fold with the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, which we know a lot more about. Obviously, the Samsung trifold will be larger and thicker than the iPhone Fold. Otherwise, we’re still waiting on official details. But if recent rumors prove true, the wait shouldn’t be too much longer.

Finally, even though the iPhone Fold is still in the realm of fantasy, there are already rumors about a follow-up, clamshell-style foldable from Apple, potentially called the iPhone Flip. That one probably isn’t coming until next year, though.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.