iPhone fold: All the rumors about Apple's first foldable, and when it might launch
The supply chain leaks about Apple's foldable iPhone have been increasing in frequency, and it may be only about a year away. Here's what the rumor mill believes is in the works.
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Apple's foldable iPhone could debut in 2026.
While 2025 could see the release of an ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, the year after may prove to be even more interesting. Multiple sources and reports over the years have said that Apple was working on products with foldable displays, the first of which is expected to be an entirely new iPhone model.
Though other smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung, have outright embraced the concept of foldable displays, with the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, Apple has yet to release such a device.
Still, rumors indicate that a foldable iPhone, sometimes referred to as the iPhone Fold, is on the horizon. People familiar with the matter have told AppleInsider that Apple and its supply chain partners have been researching the idea for years.
Leakers and analysts alike believe Apple's foldable iPhone is set to debut within the next few years, and they have quite a lot to say about the matter.
iPhone Fold release date rumors -- 2026 or 2027?
Apple hasn't specified exactly when the iPhone Fold will launch, and that's hardly a surprise given the company's product announcement strategies. Still, this hasn't stopped leakers from providing their own iPhone fold release timelines.
Analysts believe the iPhone Fold will debut in 2026 or 2027.
In November 2020, one rumor suggested that Apple supplier Foxconn was actively testing foldable iPhone prototypes, and that the device was set to launch in September 2022.
Similarly, in September 2021, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple's foldable iPhone would debut by 2024. While these dates have obviously come and gone, and the iPhone Fold has yet to release, more recent predictions continue to suggest the device is years away.
Reports from February and March 2024 suggested that Apple had initially planned a 2026 release, but that the project was delayed until 2027. Rumors from June 2024 echoed the 2027 launch date for the iPhone Fold. A February 2025 report indicated that manufacturing could start in early 2026, which would, again, align with the proposed 2027 release.
Not everyone agrees, however, as a different report from the same month suggested that Apple's foldable iPhone would debut in 2026, rather than 2027. The report claimed that Apple would start production in late 2025, with a release planned for the second half of 2026.
Though his previous claims about a 2024 iPhone Fold release were wrong, Ming-Chi Kuo resurfaced in March 2025, saying that Apple's foldable iPhone would debut in late 2026 or early 2027, with mass production starting in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Apple is predicted to ship between three million and five million units of the iPhone fold in 2026, with production volume constrained by the complexity of manufacturing the device. Kuo predicts that between the first and the rumored second-generation iPhone Fold, Apple could sell 20 million in 2027.
In August 2024, analyst Jeff Pu claimed the iPhone Fold would debut alongside a foldable iPad in 2026. He reiterated these claims in March 2025 and a month later, in April 2025. Two separate reports from March 2025 and May 2025 have also proposed a 2026 release date for Apple's foldable iPhone, with the latter report specifying that the device would debut in September 2026.
It remains to be seen exactly when the device will debut, but the overall consensus among leakers and analysts is that Apple's foldable iPhone will launch either in 2026 or 2027. Its foldable display is set to mark a significant departure from previous iPhone models, however.
iPhone Fold display supplier
Relative to the iPhone models currently available, Apple's foldable smartphone would offer more screen real estate for apps and games. With the display unfolded, the device may be similar to an iPad mini in terms of screen size. This is set to be the main selling point of the iPhone Fold, but Apple likely had to overcome engineering challenges to achieve a foldable display that's up to the company's high standards.
Samsung is likely the exclusive display supplier for the iPhone Fold.
In April 2022, rumors suggested that Apple was working with LG Display on a foldable MacBook or iPad screen, and only a month later, reports about a foldable iPhone display began popping up.
In September 2022, one report suggested that Apple was working with LG Display and Samsung, in an attempt to develop displays that won't crumple. This supposedly involved creating hybrid OLED panels that combine the inflexible sections of glass with flexible plastic substrate panels for the bending parts.
Apple was reportedly still deciding on a display supplier as of January 2025. Only a month later, however, one leaker suggested that the iPhone Fold display would be developed exclusively by Samsung, contradicting prior LG Display rumors, some of which date back to 2017.
It appears as though Samsung will indeed produce the iPhone Fold display, as the company likely has an edge thanks to its experience with its own foldable products. Reports from April 2025 and May 2025 have both said that Apple has chosen Samsung as its display partner.
This information aligns with a December 2023 rumor, which said folding iPhone displays were the focus of a then-new Samsung business group.
Display dimensions and resolution
The iPhone Fold is expected to have two screens, with a smaller outer display for general use and a folding internal one that's much larger. It appears as though the rumor mill has agreed on some of the essential specifications of those components.
Apple's foldable iPhone may have a familiar 4:3 aspect ratio.
, one leaker said the display for the iPhone Fold could be "comparable to two 6.1-inch iPhones folded together, resulting in a total size of over 12 inches." The mathematics of that supposed measurement is somewhat wrong, as it would realistically be a screen size in the ballpark of 7.5 inches, which is similar to the 8.3-inch iPad mini.
The same month, a different rumor said that Apple's foldable iPhone would have a 5.49-inch outer screen to allow it to work like a normal smartphone. The inner screen, to make it look more like an iPad, reportedly measures a somewhat realistic 7.74 inches diagonally.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo echoed these claims, saying in March 2025 that the "folded-out inner screen" would be 7.8 inches, while the outer screen would be 5.5 inches. Two April 2025 rumors also provided similar dimensions.
Both leakers suggested that the inner display will have a resolution of 2,713 by 1,920. This would give the display a pixel density of 428 pixels per inch. According to the same source, the external-facing display will measure 5.49 inches and have a resolution of 2,088 by 1,422. This is a pixel density of 460ppi, matching that of Apple's typical iPhone displays.
The internal display will supposedly use a hidden under-display camera that will be similar to other foldable device screens, while the external display will rely on a visible punch hole camera. As for the display's aspect ratio, a March 2025 rumor indicates the iPhone Fold will use a familiar 4:3 format, much like older iPad models.
Display creases, durability, hinge mechanisms
Durability is a major concern when it comes to products with foldable displays. While there are numerous possible ways Apple could approach a folding iPhone, the company would always need to make sure that its screen can withstand repeated folding over prolonged periods.
The iPhone Fold might feature a liquid metal hinge mechanism that's twice as strong as titanium.
The process of folding and unfolding can cause wear on a display, especially in an area where the fold can develop into a crease, which can eventually deteriorate. Apple, like other folding phone companies, has to design the iPhone Fold to counter this weakness.
An Apple patent from October 2021 introduced the concept of a folding iPhone that puts the display on the outside, instead of the screen being on the inside of the fold.
This is one way of getting around the issue, as the screen doesn't have to deal with the typically tight radius of an internal fold, and instead has to deal with being permanently exposed to the elements. But Apple may have a potential solution for that as well.
Apple's patents reveal that the company has been considering a foldable iPhones since 2015. One such patent, from 2020, indicates that Apple may implement technology so iPhone displays themselves could "heal" the inevitable wear and tear.
"Electronic Devices With Flexible Display Cover Layers," proposes mixing rigid and flexible areas for a display, and then also utilizing what Apple calls "self-healing." This could be related to the scratch-resistant display coating rumored for the iPhone 17 range, though this was reportedly abandoned.
Apple's patents suggest the company experimented with various display solutions for the iPhone Fold.
Apple has also considered internal screen fold designs too, but with remarkably complicated hinge mechanisms. The idea was for there to be added supports for the display at its most vulnerable point, so that users could press down on flexible sections without damaging the screen.
The iPhone maker's patents have proposed the idea of using stretchable displays as well. However, it seems unlikely for Apple to go down that route for the iPhone Fold for the moment. A February 2025 report said that Apple's folding iPhone may not be plagued by a crease at all. A source doubled down on claims Apple was working hard to avoid wrinkles in the display, which can emerge over time.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March 2025 that Apple would use a liquid-metal hinge for the iPhone fold display. The same month, a different leaker explained that the material could be twice as strong as titanium. Liquid metal technology has also appeared in Apple patents from 2014 and 2015.
In March 2025, two separate leakers said that iPhone Fold display engineering efforts focsed on power efficiency. Supposedly, this will "achieve the goal of slimming the battery by improving the Display Driver Integrated Circuit (DDI)." One of the leakers believes that the driver IC chips in the folding display are being upgraded, from using a 28-nanometer production process to a 16-nanometer version.
Improved battery life may be the end result of these efforts. We could also see flexible batteries in the iPhone Fold, as an Apple patent from 2020 references this technology.
iPhone Fold battery, design, pricing
When it comes to the physical size of the display, 5.49 inches is a lot smaller than the 6.1-inch smallest iPhone 16. To get smaller in a flagship device, you have to go back to the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini.
As for the the device itself, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed in March 2025 that the iPhone Fold would have a folded thickness approximately 9mm to 9.5mm. When opened, its thickness would be approximately 4.5mm to 4.8mm.
A dubious leak from February 2025 had a stab at the specs. The list seemingly included a 5000mAh "3D Stacked" battery cell system, a new ultra-thin Meta Lens front camera, and rear Main and Ultra-Wide cameras. Kuo also said the device would have two rear cameras, and one front camera when the iPhone is unfolded.
In terms of pricing, the iPhone fold could ultimately cost around $2300, which is more than a Mac Studio. This is according to an analyst report from March 2025, though Ming-Chi Kuo has also provided a price estimate between $2,000 and $2,500. A third leaker claimed in April 2025 that the price could end up being between $2,100 and $2,300.
Ultimately, the iPhone Fold is at least a year away, and some are understandably skeptical about the market performance and potential of the device. Still, quite a few analysts and leakers believe its in the works, there are even claims of a successor product. We'll see soon enough exaclty what Apple's first foldable looks like, assuming it doesn't get canceled like a few other company projects.
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Comments
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/android-phones/i-just-went-hands-on-with-huaweis-triple-foldable-phone-and-im-amazed
square let say 2,5 inch screen for some light use of the phone without opening it. Like making a call, quick check email. Then realize that this would be a great form factor and the year after release that mini OS with a small screen as its own phone without the fold. I know one can only dream and I probably should look towards android. But I for one would like an iPhone that can do the most important basic things, but don’t keep me busy for hours and takes too much space.
Looking deeper though, the question is how many premium iPhone sales may have been lost as a result? None? A handful? A lot?
Apple not having a folding option might be an issue unto itself and having one (with the high margins involved) would potentially kill two birds with one stone (reduced lost sales and increased revenues).
Away from the tri-fold option (Samsung is rumoured to have one in the pipe) the regular folding phones and flip phones are seeing intense competition with new form factors coming to market (Pura X).