The long-awaited foldable iPhone — rumored to be called the iPhone Fold — should arrive in 2026. So far, Apple has kept a very tight lid on its first-ever foldable phone, but all signs point to a fall or winter 2026 release.
Early adopters already love foldables — and they have plenty of options — but Apple’s been notably absent from the genre. However, don’t count Apple out. The company has a history of showing up late to the party and then absolutely cornering the market, as the AirPods and iPhone did with MP3 players and smartphones.
So, as we await official details, here’s everything we know about the future addition to the iPhone lineup, including the latest rumors, possible specifications, release date, and pricing information.
When will the iPhone Fold be released?
We initially thought that the iPhone Fold would be coming in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Numerous rumors pointed to this over the last year. However, while Apple traditionally releases all of its new iPhones in September, the Fold might not be ready by then.
A tech analyst named Tim Long recently claimed that shipments of the iPhone Fold will begin in December of this year, not September, so it might be a winter device instead of a fall one. Of course, Apple could still announce it in September, but it may not be available right away like the iPhone 18 lineup.
For now, Long is the only one reporting that the iPhone Fold (or is it the iFold?) will come after September, so it could still be on store shelves sooner. Given the global memory shortage, last-minute delays are also possible, so we’ll have to wait and see.
How much will the iPhone Fold cost, and will people buy it?
Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable
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.
In March, Mark Gurman claimed that Apple could classify the iPhone Fold as an “Ultra” product, putting it in a higher price tier than other devices in its portfolio alongside other high-end machines like the Apple Watch Ultra. If the phone ends up costing at least $2,000 as expected, this would make sense.
The latest iPhone Fold leaks
Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable
In December 2025, we saw lots of alleged iPhone Fold renders circulating on social media, which all share a similar design. We’d take these with a grain of salt, of course.
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In February, 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.
More recently, Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared another potential iPhone Fold render in March 2026.
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Instant Digital makes some interesting claims. Most notably, the report says the iPhone Fold will have the largest-ever iPhone battery. (For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is estimated to have a roughly 5,088 mAh 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.”
Beyond physical design, another recent report suggested you’ll be able to run multiple apps side-by-side when the phone is unfolded, sort of like multitasking on iPadOS 26. However, by all accounts, this device will run iOS, not iPadOS, so you won’t exactly get a full iPad experience from the iPhone Fold. (Apps that are designed to run natively in iPadOS, for example, would not be compatible.)
What will the iPhone Fold specs look like?
Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable
The iPhone Fold remains a mystery to some extent, of course, but we do have a very rough idea of what it could offer. Based on all the rumors, the iPhone Fold could look something like this:
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Displays: 7.8-inch inner OLED display, 5.5-inch outer OLED display
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Thickness: 9.5mm unfolded, 4.5mm when folded
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Security: Touch ID
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Processor: A20 processor
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Cameras: Dual rear cameras (48MP), dual inner/outer front cameras
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Price: $2,399
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Battery: At least 5,088 mAh
A report from Chinese news outlet United Daily News noted the iPhone Fold could be creaseless, which means you wouldn’t see that awkward line when it’s 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. Samsung Display is reportedly producing the OLED displays for the iPhone Fold, 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.
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 like the iPad Air and Pro, 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.
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.
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