The long-awaited foldable iPhone – rumored to be called iPhone Fold – could be arriving soon.
Tech enthusiasts and early adopters already love foldable phones — and they have plenty of options — but Apple has been notably absent from the genre. But that is expected to change in 2026, when Apple is expected to launch the iPhone Fold. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming addition to the iPhone lineup, including the latest rumors and pricing information.
When will the iPhone Fold be released?
We think the iPhone Fold will arrive in 2026. Chinese site UDN (via MacRumors) reported last month that the phone would arrive next year and that it would indeed be called iPhone Fold. That’s far from a guarantee, but as Mashable’s Stan Schroeder wrote, it’s some comfort for Apple fans who had seen other reports that it could be pushed back to 2027.
This also lines up with new rumors that hit the internet this week, suggesting that Apple purchased around 11 million OLED panels from Samsung Display – a much higher figure than expected – for its new foldable. This rumor could be misleading, however, as the original report – from a Korean site called ET News – has since been deleted.
Apple’s iPhone Fold is on the right track, but it might be more expensive than we thought
How much will the iPhone Fold cost and will people buy it?
The iPhone Fold will likely be expensive. A recent estimate from research analyst Arthur Liao suggested the price of the Fold – sip – could cost around $2,399. This is in line with expectations from a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC). I
Crushable speed of light
Despite the significant cost (the flagship Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999.99), sales expectations remain high. The IDC report estimates that Apple would siphon off a third of spending on the foldable market in 2026.
“But the real game-changer for the category comes at the end of the year, when Apple enters the foldable business, which is expected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of foldable market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price of $2,400,” the report read.
What will the iPhone Fold specs look like?
The iPhone Fold of course remains a mystery to some extent, but we have a very rough idea of what it could offer. The UDN report states that the iPhone Fold could be crease-free, meaning you wouldn’t see that annoying line when opened.
In August, Mashable also reported on predictions from Apple journalist Mark Gurman, who said the foldable iPhone would be a book-style foldable with four cameras – two on the back, one on the inside, and a selfie camera on the front. Gurman also predicted that 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 interior display, a 5.5-inch exterior display, and measure just 9-9.5mm thick. We heard another rumor in September that the iPhone Fold would look like two iPhone Airs put together, with a similar thickness of 5.6mm. Why this discrepancy between the two reports? This could be the difference between the thickness of the device when folded and unfolded.
Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold vs Apple foldable iPhone: specs and rumors
Mashable’s Alex Perry also compared the potential specs of the iPhone Fold with those of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, which we know a lot more about. Obviously, the Samsung triple will be larger and thicker than the iPhone Fold. Otherwise, we are still waiting for official details. But if the recent rumors prove true, the wait shouldn’t be long. too much longer.
