Last updated April 28
• iPhone Fold tipped to have four major selling points according to analyst.
• Leaked photo claims to show iPhone Fold's design final.
• Report hints at how Apple could eliminate the crease though a combination of high-tech adhesive and specialized glass engineering.
• Apple's first foldable could be called iPhone Ultra instead of iPhone Fold.
• Dummy unit leak exposes wide foldable iPhone.
We've been waiting for an iPhone Fold for the better part of a decade now. And while some of the rumors in that time never panned out, it seems like we're finally on the verge of seeing a genuine, real-life folding iPhone.
Initial rumors suggested that Apple was working on a foldable flip phone — that would be the rumored iPhone Flip — but more recent talk has shifted to a notebook-style foldable in the vein of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Additional rumors suggest Apple is looking to equip its foldable with advanced display tech, even compared to other foldables, with a price tag to match.
Considering the best foldables that are already out there, such as Samsung's Galaxy Fold and Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Apple is going to face some tough competition for its iPhone Fold. Still, phones from Apple command a lot of attention, and the iPhone Fold should be no different.
If you're interested in learning more, then scroll on to check out all the rumors we've gathered about the iPhone Fold so far.
Rumored specs
iPhone Fold (rumored) |
|
Price |
$2,000-$2,400 |
Launch |
December 2026 |
Display |
7.8 inches / 5.3 inches |
Processor |
A20 |
RAM |
12GB |
Front Camera |
18MP Folded, 18MP (unfolded) |
Rear Camera |
48MP, 48MP |
Face ID |
None (Touch ID) |
Casing |
Titanium + Aluminium |
Modem |
Apple C2 |
iPhone Fold: Rumored price and availability
It appears that the iPhone Fold could see a launch in 2026, along with the iPhone 18 series, at least according to a poster on Weibo. The iPhone Fold may also be joined by a foldable iPad if we're lucky, but we'll stay focused on the phone here.
We've heard several release rumors in the past that never panned out. But when you look at other leaks that parts like the display have started production, the 2026 launch claim looks more convincing than past ones have. And Bloomberg's Mark Gurman — a good source for upcoming Apple product news — has been posting iPhone Fold details, which is a good sign that there's some fire behind all this smoke.
While mass production has been tipped as early as this July, engineering issues could delay the first shipments. So far, Apple's expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in September, but the iPhone Fold could be saved for a December release.
As for pricing, estimates from various analysts have put the cost at around $2,000, which is the same that Samsung charges for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Some have alleged a slightly cheaper price too, although this sadly feels less likely than Apple charging a premium for its first foldable.
But however much it costs, analysts still expect an Apple foldable to upend the folding phone market. Both in terms of units shipped and money made, Apple will quickly become a big part of the segment, say the experts, and iPhone fans will likely just accept the high price as their entry fee to a completely new experience.
And finally, there's also the actual name for the device. Instead of calling it the iPhone Fold, it could end up being called the iPhone Ultra. This rumor comes from Digital Chat Station (DCS) on Weibo, which argues how Chinese foldable brands are likely to copy Apple's playbook and giving their wide-screen foldables with the "Ultra" moniker.
iPhone Fold: Design
To understand how the iPhone Fold may look and work, we need to first consider the iPhone Air that arrived in September. The rumor mill claims that the iPhone Fold could look like two Airs attached together.
To that end, Apple's John Ternus seemed to hint in an interview with TG that elements of the iPhone Air could be used in future products, when our editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer brought up the matter of a folding iPhone.
The iPhone Air is made using a titanium frame, unlike all other current iPhones, which use aluminum. But the iPhone Fold could be another exception, as rumors claim it will be built with both titanium and aluminum, as well as the usual toughened glass. Apple's not blended both before on an iPhone, and no doubt would form a key part of the engineering headlines when Apple finally shows off the phone.
More information pertaining to its design comes from leaker Instant Digital, who mentions that all of the phone's physical buttons are going to be positioned on the left side of the phone — including the volume controls, which have been traditionally on the left.
Tipsters also claim that the foldable iPhone will feature no SIM tray, only support for an eSIM like the iPhone Air or the iPhone 17 models in the U.S. But in return for this inconvenient modernization, Apple could bring back Touch ID, currently unavailable on any new iPhone, for unlocking duties. That said, the feature could still be switched out for Face ID while Apple figures out exactly how to build its first foldable.
When the phone is finally made, it should apparently be the thinnest iPhone yet made when unfolded, beating the already impressive iPhone Air, which measures 5.6mm. By way of comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 4.2mm thin when it's unfolded.
Of course, a phone won't fold without a hinge. And from what we're hearing, the hinge in the iPhone Fold may not be as expensive as was first feared. Good news for Apple, certainly, but hopefully for anyone wanting to buy the phone too, and even for rival phone makers who can benefit from Apple's infrastructure.
Exclusive First Dummies of what the final size of the iPhone Fold, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will look like.
— @sonnydickson.bsky.social (@sonnydickson.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T15:21:55.393Z
A new report from well-known analyst Jeff Pu has revealed several apparent new specs for the upcoming iPhone. These include similar reveals such as the phone being constructed out of a mix of Aluminium and Titanium, as well as the size of the display and apparent RAM.
Most recently, photos of what's purportedly a dummy unit of the iPhone Fold have leaked showing us the front and back of the foldable phone. What's really peculiar is the wide foldable design that Apple appears to be going with.
This is further substantiated my subsequent leaks, particularly from known leaker Majin Bu over on X, who shows what's reportedly the iPhone Fold's final design.
iPhone Fold: Displays
Whatever form the iPhone Fold does take, it seems like we can expect it to be the larger kind of foldable phone, with a big flexible inner display and a more typical phone-sized cover display, rather than a small, flip-style foldable.
This is borne out in the rumored sizes of these displays, which are listed at 7.8 inches and 5.5 inches for the inner and outer screens, respectively. The inside screen may well be built by Samsung Display, the world's premier builder of flexible screens.
Some sources have claimed that the iPhone Fold will have little to no crease that spoils the view of the inner screen, thanks to a liquid metal hinge and glass support structure. We may have seen this in action thanks to a Samsung Display exhibit at CES, but the rumors claim that, while Apple will be buying screens from Samsung, it won't be that exact model.
According to Jeff Pu, the iPhone Fold will feature a 7.8-inch main display, alongside a 5.3-inch outer screen. These specs appear to match others that we've seen, but the smaller front screen is a concern due to how hard it could be to use.
A Trendforce report seen by 9to5mac details how Apple could essentially eliminate the crease in its foldable phone through a combination of high-tech adhesive and specialized glass engineering. Specifically, this breakthrough process reportedly involves Optically Clear Adhesive (OCA) and a variable thickness design with the glass itself.
iPhone Fold: Cameras
We have no clear rumors for what cameras the iPhone Fold will feature. My instinct would be that Apple would go light on cameras, following the lead of the iPhone Air. That would mean only two rear cameras rather than the usual three found on flagship phones. But we'll wait and see what the rumors say down the line.
The only claim we do have to go on right now is that Apple has at least considered using an under-display camera on the inside of the iPhone Fold. These allow for a seamless-looking display but do impact image quality heavily, something that only a handful of brands have tried and even fewer still use. Samsung just abandoned its own under-display camera with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
If the recent report from Jeff Pu is correct, then it seems the iPhone Fold could take more from the iPhone Air than just the look. According to the report, the phone could only feature two 48MP lenses on the back and two 18MP front cameras. However, we're not sure what form these cameras will take.
iPhone Fold: Performance and specs
We have no specifics on the chip, RAM or storage that Apple will stuff into the iPhone Fold. But we can assume it will use the latest Apple A-series chip available at the time (likely the A20 or A20 Pro if the iPhone Fold launches in 2026 as planned), plus at least 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Some rumors have suggested that the iPhone Fold could have a surprisingly large battery, with a size ranging from 5,000 to 5,500 mAh. That's larger than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the current longest-lasting iPhone we've ever seen, but this battery would have to drive a much larger screen. This is further substantiated by Weibo user known only as Fixed Focus Digital, who claims it'll a 5,500 mAh battery — making it the largest ever to grace an iPhone.
Of course, all the power in the world won't mean much without software to put it to use. Fortunately, it sounds like iOS 27, the next generation of Apple's iPhone software due out later this year, will be focused on new interface elements needed to make the most of a foldable according to Bloomberg's Gurman.
iPhone Fold: Outlook
Apple sure has taken its sweet time getting a folding iPhone on the market, and that's assuming that the 2026 launch is actually happening. In the meantime, Samsung is in a strong position after seven generations of Z Fold, and Google keeps improving its own Pixel foldables too. A number of Chinese phone makers have also developed foldable phones, even if they haven't really expanded beyond their home market.
This could spell certain doom for Apple's first foldable, but the fact this is an iPhone will do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of consumer interest. If Apple can deliver some interesting unique features at the same time, then there's no reason why it can't live on the best foldable phones page alongside the more established players.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently alluded to four specific selling points for Apple's foldable phone, which are all important to convince consumers to buy a foldable iPhone. Needless to say, Apple is going to have to pull out all the stops if it wants the iPhone Fold to be a success.
With a rumored $2,000+ price tag, Apple can't just lean on the novelty of a foldable iPhone to help drive sales. But, according to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple will be focusing on four key selling points: Durability, performance, the crease-free display and the fact that the Fold unfolds to offer a larger iPad-style display.
We really hope that some of the highlight rumors for the iPhone Fold, like its large battery, creaseless display and thin but sturdy construction, do turn out to be true. And we're also crossing our fingers that Apple, having learned from Samsung and others' first foldable phone attempts, will make a successful foldable first time around, without the all-too-common design flaws.
