Apple is preparing to enter the foldable phone market with an iPhone Fold reportedly set for a September 2026 debut, according to supply chain leaks circulating ahead of the company’s annual fall hardware event.

The device is described as a book-style foldable with a 7.6-inch interior display when fully opened, placing it in a similar footprint to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. The rumoured starting price of $2,500 positions it at the very top of the premium segment — nearly $1,000 more than Samsung’s equivalent model.

Apple is expected to call it the iPhone Fold or iPhone Fold Ultra, though neither name has been confirmed. The hinge design and exterior display size remain undisclosed, but leaks tracked by The Gadgeteer suggest Apple has spent several years reducing the crease between the two display halves, an area where early Samsung foldables drew criticism from reviewers.

The iPhone Fold would mark Apple’s first entry into a category Samsung has led for five years. The Galaxy Z Fold lineup has matured significantly, and Motorola, Huawei, and OnePlus have all shipped competitive foldable designs in the meantime. Apple’s late arrival is consistent with its historical approach of entering a category only when it believes the technology is ready for a mass-market audience.

No confirmed camera specifications, battery capacity, or chipset details have been reported. The device is assumed to run Apple’s A20 chip alongside the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup, though a new naming convention for the foldable model is also possible.

At $2,500, the iPhone Fold would be the most expensive iPhone at launch. Demand will likely be strong among early adopters regardless of price, given Apple’s retention rates. Whether it reaches broader volumes depends on how the design performs in real-world use and how Apple handles the repairability question that has complicated all foldable phones so far.