A foldable iPhone called, it figures, the 'iPhone Fold' is the rumour that will not die, but maybe with good cause. Because while the device has been rumoured for the best part of a decade, now there are signs it could finally launch soon. This September, in fact, alongside members of the iPhone 18 family (though not, curiously, the iPhone 18 itself).
So what rumours are currently circulating? And how could Apple's first foldable stand out from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold and Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold?
One report goes into detail on the latter, spelling out how Apple could take the lead in the foldables war.
Here's everything we know so far.
iPhone Fold: design rumours
Foldable phones come in two varieties: 'standard' foldables that open like a paperback book, and flip phones (like those from the early 2000s) that open like a make-up mirror. Samsung makes both: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the former, and the Z Flip 7 the latter.
Apple's iPhone Fold has been linked to both designs in the past, which doesn't help clarify which form factor the device will actually take. Early rumours said it would be a flip phone, while more recent rumblings concern a more standard foldable design.
We would expect the latter, as it would allow for a larger screen. Flip phones typically have smaller screens, whereas more standard foldables often open up to offer a display of around 7-8 inches across the diagonal. That's the equivalent of a small tablet like the iPad Mini.
(Indeed, one render via AppleInsider shows a more square form factor when unfolded, similar to the iPad Mini.)
With Apple's mobile OLED screens among the best in the business, we would expect it to use a standard foldable design in order to maximise screen real estate.
As for where that leaves the iPad Mini, it's anyone's guess...
iPhone Fold: launch rumours
A foldable iPhone has been rumoured for years, with many potential launch windows mooted. But recently more credible sources have been weighing in, with a consensus – of sorts – emerging.
If they're right, the iPhone Fold could launch as soon as this September.
Analyst Jeff Pu predicts (via 9to5Mac) that the foldable iPhone will launch in 2026 alongside a foldable iPad. This backed up a previous report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Pu and Gurman are two of the most reliable Apple analysts around. While some others predict we won't see Apple's foldable(s) until 2027, the fact that these two agree suggests we might see Apple enter the foldables arena sooner rather than later.
It could play havoc with the usual iPhone launch schedule. A recent report says that Apple might split its future iPhone launches across two separate release windows – so the Fold, Pros and Air in the autumn, and lower-end models (non-Pros and iPhone 'e' variant) the following spring.
That's in order to give the foldable more prominence at the launch event without the more affordable phones being lost in the sea of announcements.
The foldable iPhone could be updated annually, making it a permanent member of the iPhone family. Korean news site ET News reports that the foldable will sit above the Pro and Pro Max in the annual iPhone lineup – meaning it could be higher-specced that most rumours have said. And even more expensive.
iPhone Fold: screen speculation
But we don't have to rely on intuition as to what size screen Apple will use. There's a very high likelihood the screen pictured above will feature in the iPhone Fold.
The display in question is made by Samsung Display, a major supplier of iPhone screens. It's the firm's first crease-free foldable display, and was shown off at trade show CES 2026 (as spotted by SamMobile).
At the show, Samsung showed the screen side by side with that of the Z Fold 7, the firm's latest foldable. The Z Fold 7 earned four stars from us, and while we commented that you can see its screen crease at certain angles and especially with a bright light above, we added that it's "it’s genuinely invisible during normal, face-on viewing."
With this latest foldable screen, the crease promises to be genuinely invisible all of the time. Which would improve the viewing experience no end.
This was supported by previous reports from Business Koreaand Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman notes that the iPhone Fold will have a "much higher-quality hinge", echoing earlier reports that mentioned an amorphous alloy (metallic glass) hinge that's not only stronger, but able to go flatter when open too.
Leaker Setsuna Digital posted speculation on the hinge on Chinese social network Weibo. They support previous claims that Apple will use 'Liquid Metal' for the component, which is described as an "amorphous alloy" or "metallic glass." It's claimed to be 2.5 times tougher than an aluminium alloy, and be extremely resistant to bending, deformation and depression.
So it seems Apple has addressed the two problems with early foldables: a visible screen crease, and flaky hinge that even snapped in some cases. Apple is unlikely to risk the reputational damage either of these issues would cause, hence the multiple delays to the iPhone Fold. Sometimes it pays not to be first to market.
There's more to go on. One of the most well-respected Apple analysts around, Ming-Chi Kuo, shared his predictions in a March 2025 blog post on what an iPhone Fold will look like.
He reckons the device will have a "book-like" design, with a 5.5-inch exterior screen and a 7.8-inch display once opened up.
That external screen would be smaller than that of the iPhone 17 (which is 6.3 inches), and than those of rivals the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (6.5 inches) and Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (6.4 inches). Its folded out screen would also be marginally smaller than the Z Fold 7's (8 inches) and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's (also 8 inches).
We would expect a foldable iPhone to have the same 120Hz ProMotion display technology as the iPhone 17 family. This gives those phones double the maximum refresh rate of the 60Hz iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, meaning less blur during fast-moving games and movies.
iPhone Fold: potential specs
Lately, more details on the potential specs of the iPhone Fold have started to emerge.
In his extensive blog post, seasoned Apple watcher Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the foldable will be a "true AI-driven phone". Given the direction of travel in recent years across the smartphone sector as a whole, that's hardly surprising – even the entry-level iPhone 16e has artificial intelligence smarts.
"Multimodal functionality and cross-app integration are the trends in AI device use cases," he notes. "Larger screens enhance the AI experience, enabling scenarios like chatting with a chatbot about travel plans while viewing a full map app simultaneously."
Apple is keen to avoid a bulky device, and will reuse some of the technologies and techniques it used in 2025's year's ultra-thin iPhone Air, according to Mark Gurman. Which would mean Apple's own compact C1 modem (also used in the iPhone 16e), no SIM card tray and high-density battery tech.
Kuo agrees that it will be a slim device. He reckons it will measure between 9mm and 9.5mm thick when folded, and between 4.5mm and 4.8mm when unfolded. That would make it a little thicker than the 8mm iPhone 17 when folded, but noticeably slimmer when unfolded. It would also make it much slimmer than the iPhone Air (5.6mm) when unfolded, and comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is 8.9mm thick when folded and 4.2mm when unfolded.
In terms of power, we can expect Apple's top processor at the time (presumably the A20, or A20 Pro if Apple launches two variants of the A20).
It sounds like a very futuristic device, but in one regard it could take a bit of a step backwards. Kuo speculates that it will feature Touch ID on the side button instead of Face ID. He says Apple could leave out facial recognition tech because of space constraints within the device – if it can't slim down the front-facing TrueDepth camera module, it will leave it out altogether.
iPhone Fold: price rumours
The bad news is, it's going to cost you. Predictions vary, but they all agree on that.
Kuo pegs the price at around $2000 to $2500, while an analyst from Barclays Bank reckons it will cost $2300 (via MacRumors) and leaker Momentary Digital says between $2100 and $2300. Gurman's guess? "Around $2000" which he then refined in September 2025 to "at least $2000."
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs £1799 / $1700 / AU$2899, and the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold £1749 / $1799 / AU$2699. So if these rumours bear fruit, Apple's foldable would be pricier than its rivals.
Then that's hardly surprising. Apple's devices are premium through and through. Even its "budget" iPhone 16e starts at £599 / $599 / AU$999.
But would people really be willing to pay twice the price of an iPhone 17 Pro Max for a foldable iPhone? Some would, certainly, but in order to appeal beyond just the Apple diehards, the firm has to execute the phone brilliantly. It's certainly had long enough to work on it.
iPhone Fold: early verdict
There are a lot of moving parts to this story, so a lot can change. Indeed, a lot already has – this device was first mooted years ago, when foldables were in their infancy.
But the rumours are gathering pace, and with the most renowned industry watchers predicting a September 2026 launch, an iPhone Fold could become real pretty soon.
Apple's rivals have a big head start, with Samsung, Google and OnePlus already producing solid foldable phones that have reviewed well. So Apple has a big challenge on its hands.
To succeed, it will have to make a compelling case for foldables, convincing more than just early adopters that the device is a must-have, not just a nice-to-have. But for us fans of movies on the move, a fold-out big screen – sprinkled with a bit of Apple magic – could make it the phone we've been waiting for.
We'll update this article as more rumours emerge.
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