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2026 Foldable iPhone: All the Leaks So Far
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Unfolding to have a screen 0.9 inches larger than the iPhone 16 ProMax? and 0.4 inch smaller than an iPad mini?
The quality of the screen won't be top notch, not one for someone that is a "screen nerd", I doubt it'll be 120Hz refresh rate. Any thing that fold will have a crease, so it'd look weird.
The cameras, are the same as the non-Pro models; so for camera, you'd like the Pro Model
Who is the target audience for this? Except early adopters? Maybe a very select niche of people that want the big screen in a smaller form factor, sacrificing screen quality.
Honest question. Sounds exciting, but being realistic, I don't understand the space for this one
The quality of the screen won't be top notch, not one for someone that is a "screen nerd", I doubt it'll be 120Hz refresh rate. Any thing that fold will have a crease, so it'd look weird.
The cameras, are the same as the non-Pro models; so for camera, you'd like the Pro Model
Who is the target audience for this? Except early adopters? Maybe a very select niche of people that want the big screen in a smaller form factor, sacrificing screen quality.
Honest question. Sounds exciting, but being realistic, I don't understand the space for this one
Serious issues with this, which will be fixed over time, but is a non starter for some early adopters in the first gen, especially after the psychout that was the VisionPro:
- TouchID, no FaceID. Going backwards?
- 5.5" screen. The smaller folded screen on these has always been a problem. This forces me into unfolding it more often, yes. But now it is thicker when doubled over. You do not think about this until you have one. I used a Galaxy Z Fold for about 3 weeks and that extra thickness does become noticeable. You end up leaving the phone in unfolded mode more often than not just to reduce hand cramping (I have small hands).
- Battery life is severely compromised and you will be charging more often. You do not think about this until after your first day and it is needing a recharge at dinner. Z Fold manages great, but you still have to keep that folded screen powered to pop on at any time. You adapt, but it is something that will be obvious.
- While not a problem at the moment, Continuity. If it can unfold, will it gain iPad Continuity features such as my mouse can go over to it? Then it begs the question of whether iPadOS and iPhoneOS should just merge. HOWEVER......hehehehe.....os26 is a MASSIVE HINT that they are merging.
- Rumors on potential improvements to screen folding are similar to rumors that we found a way to raise the Titanic. There will be a crease in that screen eventually. Apple's "improvements" merely delay the inevitable for a bit longer. Samsung has been working tirelessly to improve their tech, but with a launched product to learn from. Is Apple's tech any noticeable difference? I do not believe so. Apple has the safety of a nonproduct in a lab being tested. Samsung has several years of a product in the wild tested by consumers.
- Pro and Pro Max model comparison. You have to convince Pro users to want 2 bigger screens All In One. You have to convince Pro Max users to downgrade on one screen and also want an unfolding screen. Minus one camera, also. TouchID change might also confuse and alienate. At least 1st Gen.
- This is my non starter: I have multiple iPads from years of getting one, plus being crippled makes it difficult to carry things when going upstairs. One for bed, an older 11" M1. One for work, an M4 13". One for travel, an iPad Mini. I can swap the Mini for this device, but that unfolded screen just becomes unnecessary for me. Obviously, not everyone has my setup. Folding phones, however, even in the Android market, have not sold in the quantities necessary for full on market dominance.
- Price. At that price, I will want a larger base storage such as 512 GB - 1 TB minimum. Assuming it will price similarly to Z Fold, I could just buy an iPad. With a larger screen, more storage, and a folding keyboard case.
Here's the journey I would like to see:
- hardware matures over 3-4 cycles
- OS improves over those cycles
- version comes along that works with single external screen, opens to "tablet-style" and can connect to an external display via USB-C/T-bolt plus keyboard and mouse and run as a full desktop
This would get my vote as a one-device-wins solution. These things are powerful enough to do most things already. I want DEX and a big screen when I want, not a hamstrung halfway house like today.
- hardware matures over 3-4 cycles
- OS improves over those cycles
- version comes along that works with single external screen, opens to "tablet-style" and can connect to an external display via USB-C/T-bolt plus keyboard and mouse and run as a full desktop
This would get my vote as a one-device-wins solution. These things are powerful enough to do most things already. I want DEX and a big screen when I want, not a hamstrung halfway house like today.
I don’t like foldable smartphones both because of the concept itself (a bulky device that will require you from both hands to use it unfolded), and because of the seam. I’m a bit obsessive and touching that soft spot in the middle of the screen, like if I could tear it with my nail is a nope for me.
But (and this is why I’m replying to your comment) I agree that whatever Apple may come up for it in terms of software may be very interesting. Apple already has iOS and iPadOS, and maybe they could create an hybrid system for when the iPhone is open, to take better advantage of the big screen.
So TL;DR: I’m not interested in foldables in general because of the size and hardware compromises, but I’m really curious about what Apple may have in their sleeve software wise to surprise us and tempt us.
I think Apple's implementation of it both hardware and software will be the best version of a foldable there has been yet. Apple waits for a reason, and many times when they do they let the technology catch up with what they want to build and I think they will be there with their foldable.
I look at it the same was as I do the Vision Pro. That device is incredible and so much better than any other device of its kind on the market. My hope is that Apple is at the same level with their foldable phone.
i wish they would would put both touch id and face id in all phones. the touch button physical size is no larger than the actual simple button and cost is in pennies due to mass manufacturing. Face id is nice and works well enough, maybe because i am outdoor a lot there are many situations where it fails. bright sun, light from behind,some sunglasses, vibrations on bike, even if the device is simply on a table or mount where the angle is wrong you have to contort or lift the phone for it to work, etc. touch id has times where it is not great, like wrinkled fingers from swimming or gloves.
instead of either or, i would love both options. they compliment each other and with purchases, banking, etc. provides two methods of authentication.
instead of either or, i would love both options. they compliment each other and with purchases, banking, etc. provides two methods of authentication.
I’ve been considering a new iPad and I’m seriously considering the Mini. The only thing holding me back is that rumoured cheap(ish) A18 MacBook.
I had another few minutes hands-on with the Fold 7 and I quite like the concept. Using this in the sofa would make the iPad Mini obsolete.
A few concerns: when folded it *has* to be thinner than what my iPhone 14 Pro is. I don’t want anymore bulk in my pockets. The 14 Pro with the Apple cover is thick enough as it is. And pricing. Knowing Apple this will fall into the unaffordable category again.
I had another few minutes hands-on with the Fold 7 and I quite like the concept. Using this in the sofa would make the iPad Mini obsolete.
A few concerns: when folded it *has* to be thinner than what my iPhone 14 Pro is. I don’t want anymore bulk in my pockets. The 14 Pro with the Apple cover is thick enough as it is. And pricing. Knowing Apple this will fall into the unaffordable category again.
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources.
Not gonna happen.
A big challenge for Apple will be to release a foldable phone as good as Samsung’s. Apple’s usual model is to wait out early competition in a new product space, then to leapfrog the early entrants with a markedly better model. That may be unusually difficult this time because Samsung’s newest fold is such a good device and one that is dramatically better than anything that came before it.
There is no point in leading in the foldable category when the technology just isn’t there. There was quite a bit of yellow banding in the center of the screen of previous foldable models. You could sort of feel it too with your fingers. These phones always looked and felt like they were a couple of years too early.
The Fold 7 comes *very* close to solving this issue.
Apple doesn’t lead in a lot of things. What they do best is improve on what’s out there. The iPod wasn’t the first MP3 player but Apple wrapped in a nice ecosystem. Laptops? They don’t lead there either although you could argue that Apple cares about their design more.
I’m with you on thinness/bulk. They need to get this where the Pro iPhones are. Samsung achieved this with theirs, but can Apple?
The Amazon River runs for thousands of miles. At some points, it runs through areas of the rain forest that are almost untouched and have been barely explored. Because of the porous limestone in these areas, the river water leaks through the stone and travels deep into the earth and forms underground pools almost a mile below the surface. Over thousands of years, small blind transparent fish have lived and evolved in these pools. These fish have never seen the sun or surface and have never been seen by humans.
These fish care more about this than I do.
A Folding iPhone or iPad is the last thing anyone actually cares about or wants. The quality will suffer because its a dumb idea to begin with.
These fish care more about this than I do.
A Folding iPhone or iPad is the last thing anyone actually cares about or wants. The quality will suffer because its a dumb idea to begin with.
It’s part of the marketing strategy, right? By starting witn Touch ID they can release a new version with Face id a few years down the line and market it as the best thing since sliced bread.
Why release a phone that has it all when you can do incremental upgrades every year and get multiple sales?
The fact that no Apple device is ever perfect during configuration is part of Apple’s DNA. You either lose out when you uncheck things or you pay (a lot) extra for things you don’t really need when you check things.
Making certain processor/memory combos impossible is a good example.
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Slightly larger screen area than an iphone 13 mini. I'll take it!
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far.
Overall Design
Book-Style
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's foldable iPhone is similar in style to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold, which uses a book-style folding mechanism, rather than the clamshell design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the foldable iPhone to measure between 9 and 9.5 mm when folded, and around 4.5 to 4.8 mm when unfolded. More recently, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital has said that the foldable iPhone will have a thickness of at least 4.8mm.
Display Sizes
Dual Screens
When folded, users will interact with a 5.5-inch outer display that is similar to a typical iPhone screen, while unfolding it will reveal a larger 7.8-inch iPad-style screen. The inner display is said to be virtually crease-free, thanks to Apple's use of a metal plate that can disperse and control the stress generated by bending the display. These dimensions have been corroborated by two reputable sources. According to one rumor, the inner folding display will have a 4:3 aspect ratio and use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, while the outer display will use a 2,088 x 1,422 resolution.
Chassis and Hinge
Durable Materials
The foldable iPhone reportedly has a titanium chassis, with the hinge constructed from a combination of titanium and stainless steel, according to Kuo. Apple is said to be using liquid metal in the hinges to improve durability and help eliminate screen creasing. Liquid metal, manufactured using a die-casting process, has been chosen by Apple to address these two common issues with foldable devices, according to the analyst.
Cameras
Front and Rear
The foldable iPhone is expected to include a dual-lens rear camera, with a front-facing camera for both folded and unfolded states, according to Kuo. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently corroborated reports that the device will have four cameras consisting of one front camera, one inner camera, and two rear cameras. Prolific Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station claims that the rear dual lenses will be 48 megapixels each. Other sources have claimed that the inner display features an under-screen camera (USC), while the outer display – in the device's folded state – will have a punch-hole camera.
Authentication
Touch ID
Kuo believes the phone will forgo Face ID authentication, and instead use a Touch ID side button as a means to save precious internal space, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently corroborated the rumor. Apple has previously integrated Touch ID into the side button of the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini.
Cellular Connectivity
C1 Modem
The foldable iPhone will use Apple's second-generation C2 modem for cellular connectivity, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple debuted its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e earlier this year, as part of a multi-year plan to transition away from Qualcomm modems. Gurman says the foldable device will not have a physical SIM slot.
Battery Life
High-Density Cells
Apple is putting a heavy focus on improving power efficiency by slimming down key components like the display driver to make room for more battery cells, according to a Korean blog that has leaked accurate details about... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: 2026 Foldable iPhone: All the Leaks So Far
the Mac was a jump from character-oriented "terminals screens" into GUI and it was polished to be used by the masses. in that sense it was unique, a breakthrough. (I know it was inspired by the xerox lab demo) and anything that had electronics at that time was super cool.
a device with larger screen which can be closed like a book is OK. I get the engineering challenge and all the effort and research to come up with a reasonable good solution, but still don't really identified the benefits that would compare by any means to - following your example - switching from character only to a graphical user interface.
I am eager to see pricing on this product. The typical Apple strategy is to price a product at the very edge of what people will pay, and then nickel and dime on the storage and extended warranty. If this starts at $2k there’s going to be a lot of friction justifying the initial purchase, let alone squeezing additional money out of customers. If they price the phone at $1800 and play the psychology game, people will justify the starting price in their head. That gives the sales dept room to squeeze the remaining $200-$400 on storage upgrades, warranty, accessories.
You could potentially look at this like the iPhone X. $1000 felt outrageous for a starting price, especially when you still had to add another $400 for storage & warranty (not to mention accessories). A base iPhone 8 was $700, so the premium for the X was 43%.
Apple has to nail all these price points perfectly. The foldable is going to be more than 2x the cost of a base iPhone so the benefits/utility have to be crystal clear across the entire line-up.
My prediction: base iPhone to $750 with 128gb storage, iphone Pro to $1200 with 256gb storage (60% premium to base), foldable for $1800 with 256 gb storage (66% premium to pro). Apple will have to lure Pro users up to the foldable and implement aggressive promotion of foldable upgrades to clinch the desired margin.
You could potentially look at this like the iPhone X. $1000 felt outrageous for a starting price, especially when you still had to add another $400 for storage & warranty (not to mention accessories). A base iPhone 8 was $700, so the premium for the X was 43%.
Apple has to nail all these price points perfectly. The foldable is going to be more than 2x the cost of a base iPhone so the benefits/utility have to be crystal clear across the entire line-up.
My prediction: base iPhone to $750 with 128gb storage, iphone Pro to $1200 with 256gb storage (60% premium to base), foldable for $1800 with 256 gb storage (66% premium to pro). Apple will have to lure Pro users up to the foldable and implement aggressive promotion of foldable upgrades to clinch the desired margin.