Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

[MacRumors]

Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026," so his latest comments suggest his conviction has strengthened that 2026 will indeed be the year of the foldable iPhone, based on his sources.

According to analyst Jeff Pu, the device recently entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn, with mass production slated to begin in the second half of 2026.

Apple's foldable iPhone is said to be 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. Gurman says Apple's version will have "less of a screen crease" when it's open. Notably, recent reports have suggested that the display on Apple's first foldable will look virtually crease-free to the human eye.

According to Gurman, the device will take advantage of the display, battery, modem, and chip advances that Apple has made in its development of the iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to replace the "Plus" model in Apple's smartphone lineup this year.

As for pricing, Gurman expects the device to be around $2,000. According to a recent Barclays Bank investor research note, Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it the most expensive iPhone model ever. This lines up with a previous report by supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in which he predicted that the first foldable iPhone would be priced between $2,000 and $2,500.

Article Link: Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

 

[EugW]

I guess I’ll hold off then. Too expensive.

 

[saltukkos]

Guess it'l also be available without Apple Intelligence at launch 🙃

 

[TechRunner]

So 2028 release, $2699. Good to know. Thanks, Mark!

 

[gegy]

I am not sure who needs something like that. 🤔

 

[Mr_Ed]

Or I can pick up a regular iPhone, an iPad, have no concerns about crease or folding mechanism, and have money left over. 🤷‍♂️

 

[multipasser]

But do we need it? honestly?

 

[TonyC28]

Built for folding!

*Ability to fold coming in a future update

 

[Koni17]

I'm not interested in a foldable iPhone, because it just adds one extra step to accessing my information and sending a message. A foldable iPad on the other hand... 😎

 

[wdfly]

Still not interested at all.

 

[Velin]

Hard pass at that price. I really like Apple products and ecosystem. But if they intend on skyrocketing prices across all iPhone models in this way, I'll abandon the ecosystem and make do with Android and phones by Pixel, Redmagic, Oppo.

 

[Ralfi]

I am not sure who needs something like that. 🤔

I bet people have responded to you over the last many years since this device had been rumoured with valid reasons & you’ve chosen to ignore them?

I'm not interested in a foldable iPhone, because it just adds one extra step to accessing my information and sending a message. A foldable iPad on the other hand... 😎

What about the front screen?

Still not interested at all.

Thanks for the update.

Or I can pick up a regular iPhone, an iPad, have no concerns about crease or folding mechanism, and have money left over. 🤷‍♂️

Or you could live in a world where Apple makes BOTH slab & folding iPhones & not say you’re not interested in the latter ad nauseam.

 

[Digital Dude]

So, a foldable iPhone next year in 2026? 🙊

 

[MayaUser]

iPhone fold 256 storage 12 gb Ram at just $2000 starting price...kind of cheap by Apple standards

 

[JosephAW]

Waiting for the foldable Vision Pro.

 

[antonrg]

Give us the mini Apple!

 

[Mr_Ed]

Or you could live in a world where Apple makes BOTH slab & folding iPhones & not say you’re not interested in the latter ad nauseam.

You already live in a world where you have to listen to me say it if you choose to read forum posts.

 

[Kissmo1980]

They really need to fix their SW.

No matter how many time it folds, it pains me to say, that I've seen Android devices with more elegant and better OS/UI - and I reaaaaaaly don't like Google's Android.

Cheap Siri, mediocre UI oversaturated, horrible fluctuations on battery from on iOS update to the next.
Common Apple, you were my hero company - don't become Marvel after Infinity War & Endgame 🙏

 

[CausticSoda]

But is it bent for Apple Intelligence?

 

[clg82]

Well that's awesome! The line for ordering one will be the shortest ever since (according to macrumors) nobody is going to want to buy this!!!

 

[Cervisia]

But do we need it? honestly?

I'd need one, but not at that price. Same old Tim, preaching about service revenues, then trying to milk people on hardware. Imagine if they'd used the billions wasted on Apple TV, News, Fitness and whatever to price their hardware more competitively, especially when M1 came out, and cash in later on iCloud and Music from the increased user base. And with foldables, they should release it to keep people wanting one in the ecosystem, not to drive margins even higher, because that will drive people away. I never thought I'd consider an android again, but right now, I'm doing just that. If I do that, then goodbye iCloud, Apple Music, no more beats headphones, no iPad, and probably by the time I'll need a new laptop, the gap won't be this big, so goodbye macs. I've already given up on desktop macs because of the upgrade prices.

 

[Cervisia]

I'm not interested in a foldable iPhone, because it just adds one extra step to accessing my information and sending a message. A foldable iPad on the other hand... 😎

Jesus, at least watch a video on youtube about foldables before you write nonsense.

 

[Edsel]

So, a foldable iPhone next year in 2026? 🙊

Yes! Apple has adopted Julius Ceasar's calendar which has 445 days/year.

 

[wbeasley]

Foldgate Pro Max edition.

 

[darngooddesign]

I'm not interested in a foldable iPhone, because it just adds one extra step to accessing my information and sending a message.

It doesn't and I can only assume that you are criticizing a product category you've never seen and know nothing about. Just like other book-style foldables, it will have a screen on the outside so it will behave like a regular iPhone when folded.