Apple has been planning a foldable iPhone for years, but recent supply chain news suggests the long-rumored iPhone Fold is finally entering production.
The question now isn’t if, but when. Much like the confusion surrounding the iPhone 18 launch, the answer depends on how you interpret the information.
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iPhone Fold Release Date
Most analysts currently believe September 2026 is the most likely release date of iPhone Fold. A machine-translated report from Chinese website says, After the New Year, the iPhone 18 series will undergo sequential testing on the production line and enter production before the Lunar New Year.
Since Lunar New Year falls in February, the expected release date would be March. This aligns well with Apple’s existing policy of shifting to a split iPhone release cycle, with premium models released in the fall and standard models released later.
According to this strategy, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to be released in September 2026, with the iPhone Fold being the flagship model alongside it, and the standard iPhone 18 model expected to be released a few months later.
Launching the foldable iPhone alongside the Pro model makes perfect sense. Foldable phones are expensive, experimental, and targeted at early adopters—the same customer base Apple targets with its Pro lineup.
This report also aligns with rumors that Apple will separate its iPhone release cycle. According to the reported strategy, the iPhone 18 Pro model is expected to be released alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone in September 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 will be released alongside the iPhone 18e in spring 2027.
iPhone Fold Leaks Specs
Large Size
The foldable iPhone, the iPhone Fold, will look different from the standard model for several reasons. First, it will feature a folding display.
The iPhone Fold’s screen, which unfolds like a book, is closer to that of an iPad mini than an iPhone, acting as if two iPhones were joined in the middle. However, the actual size may not be as narrow as consumers expect.
Rumours suggest Apple will make the internal screen size 7.76 inches, slightly smaller than the 8.3-inch iPad mini. However, as leaked CAD drawings from December of last year show, to achieve this, Apple could make the iPhone Fold more square and wider when folded than the original model.
A colorful, wave-patterned smartphone with a circular cutout at the top corner of the screen. Apple’s intention is to make the internal folding display’s screen ratio similar to that of the iPad.
The result would be a larger iPhone, measuring 3.3 inches wide x 4.75 inches tall when folded, compared to the iPhone Air’s 2.94 x 6.15 inches.
The resolution is reportedly 2,713 x 1,920, which reflects the change in screen ratio and is higher than that of the iPad mini. A close-up of a sleek, modern smartphone with a colorful wave pattern on the screen and buttons on the side.
Being a foldable device, it also needs to be extremely thin. Apple hinted at how thin the iPhone Air could be when it launched, and the iPhone Fold is expected to achieve a similar goal.
Leaked CAD data indicates that the iPhone Fold is 5.64mm thick when unfolded, thinner than the 5.1mm of the ultra-slim M4 iPad Pro. The actual thickness when folded is expected to be just over 11mm.
The internal display will likely be the biggest topic of conversation, but that’s partly because Apple has invested a significant amount of time in developing this technology. Rumors of a partnership with LG Display arose in 2017, but Samsung Display joined in 2022.
Reports have also surfaced that Samsung Display will become the final display supplier starting in February 2025, building on its success in the foldable smartphone market.
A smartphone with a dual camera and curved display on a desk, next to a cute little lamp, against a wooden background. The development process reportedly involved developing a hybrid OLED panel that combines a rigid glass layer with a flexible plastic substrate.
Apple has been diligently developing display technology to address the common folding issue with foldable devices. Over time, the screen can fold and eventually break, a problem Apple wants to prevent.
Apple attempted to develop its own anti-crease design, but it appears to have adopted Samsung’s design around July 2025. Samsung’s display, likely for Apple’s iPhone Fold, was reportedly unveiled at CES 2026.
While this display is highly likely to be used in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, slated for release in late 2026, it’s also considered a prime candidate for the Apple iPhone Fold.
External Screen
Unlike existing iPhones, the iPhone Fold is expected to feature a large foldable display, as well as a second screen. A black smartphone with dual rear cameras, the Apple logo, and an abstract teal gradient on the screen.
The external screen will allow the iPhone Fold to function like a regular iPhone when folded. Rumors of a 2025 release suggest a 5.49-inch display, slightly smaller than the current iPhone 17 display.
With a resolution of 12,088 x 1,422, it offers a pixel density of 460 pixels per inch, matching that of current-generation screens. The hinge connects the two halves of the iPhone Fold, a crucial element that supports the flexible screen in the center.
This hinge has been a headache for Apple engineers and suppliers, resulting in a complex mechanism being patented. Close-up photo of the silver foldable smartphone.
The dual rear cameras and the unfolded screen reveal a vibrant, wavy abstract design. One of the rumors has been about the material. Apple is expected to use liquidmetal for the hinge mechanism.
Liquidmetal offers excellent resistance to bending, deformation, and crushing, and is 2.5 times stronger and stiffer than titanium alloy. Most importantly, all of this is achieved with a relatively light weight.
Camera
Beyond the expected specs, including the latest A-series chips, the iPhone Fold is expected to feature some interesting camera features.
First, there’s speculation that one side will feature the camera plate design seen in the current iPhone lineup. This design effectively allows Apple to place bulky components internally, resulting in a much thinner body.
Close-up of a gold-colored smartphone with two large camera lenses and a small flash on a smooth, reflective surface. Regarding the cameras, rumors suggest there will be two cameras on the back: a main camera and an ultra-wide-angle camera, the latter likely to be 48MP.
To accommodate the larger internal display, Apple is expected to employ an interesting hidden camera beneath the display, with a punch-hole camera likely used on the external display. Because the internal display is so crucial, Apple will likely strive to maintain a clean, unobtrusive design.
This means there will be no notch or dynamic island UI elements that obscure the camera hole. By hiding the camera beneath the display, the most important screen remains clean.
iPhone Fold Price
The new flagship iPhone Fold, slated for release in September 2026, is expected to be priced higher than the current iPhone. However, even this has already been speculated in various rumors.
In March 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated the iPhone Fold’s price at between $2,000 and $2,500. In April 2025, another leaker refined the price estimate to between $2,100 and $2,300.