Apple‘s first foldable iPhone is on track for a September 2026 launch, according to multiple supply chain reports and well-sourced analyst briefings, with a starting price of roughly $1,999 and a design that Apple engineers have specifically engineered to eliminate the visible crease that has affected competing foldable devices.
The device, referred to internally and by analysts as the iPhone Fold, will open like a book with a 5.49-inch outer display and a 7.76-inch inner screen when unfolded. The inner panel resolution is 2,713 by 1,920, and the outer display runs at 2,088 by 1,422 with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Apple is said to have developed a new hinge material that removes the crease entirely, a feature the company reportedly pursued “regardless of cost.”
The iPhone Fold will be powered by the same A20 chip expected in other 2026 iPhone models, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max variants are rumored to carry an A20 Pro variant. It includes two 48-megapixel rear cameras and two front-facing cameras — one for when the device is folded and one for the expanded inner screen. A dedicated telephoto lens is not expected in this first generation.
Battery capacity is expected to be in the range of 5,000 to 5,500 mAh, which would make it the largest battery Apple has ever put in an iPhone. The added size of the foldable form factor makes that possible without exceeding the device’s weight targets.
Apple’s foldable will compete directly with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is also targeting a 2026 launch, and will enter a foldable segment that has grown steadily since Samsung popularized the form factor but has never crossed into mainstream adoption. Apple’s entry is expected to give the category a significant boost.
The $1,999 starting price, down from earlier estimates of $2,399, positions the device as a premium but attainable option for iPhone loyalists willing to pay for the next form factor. That pricing is in line with what Samsung is expected to charge for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Apple had a busy WWDC season, having already announced major software changes including iOS 27 and the Gemini-powered Siri overhaul. The foldable iPhone would be the hardware centerpiece of its September event. Apple has not officially confirmed any of these specifications. Apple’s newsroom will carry the official announcement when it comes.
Analysts expect the iPhone Fold to have limited supply at launch given manufacturing complexity, with broader availability in early 2027. The first generation is unlikely to outsell standard iPhone models in the near term, but it establishes Apple in a form factor that could grow substantially over the next several years.
