Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.


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.

Apple-Foldable-Thumb.jpg

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 be approximately the size of a piece of A6 paper and will 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. The frame itself will use a titanium alloy to prevent bending issues – a solution that has worked well for Apple's new ultra-thin iPhone Air. However, analyst Jeff Pu believes that Apple is using aluminum and titanium, whereas Kuo believes a mix of stainless steel and titanium has been chosen.

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
C2 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, followed by the C1X featured in the iPhone Air, 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... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable
Sound great to me. 😍 🤩 🥰
 
Purchased a used Pixel Fold because I wanted to try a foldable without spending a ton of money. It has been such a change in the way that I use my phone. I have been using it as my work phone and I am able to be more productive with the larger screen. I am really hoping that Apple does a foldable soon because this the first time in a while that I have been tempted to switch to Android full time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: poorcody
I almost bought one as I have been wanting a foldable smartphone - wanting one ultra portable device acting as a phone and a tablet and Fold 7 looks amazing. But, due to my love with Apple and its ecosystem product, I successfully overcame the temptation. As Samsung enjoys the great sales of the Fold 7, so will Apple.
Yeah I totally agree, I love the Apple ecosystem and how well everything works. I stepped out a few months ago with a Surface Pro 12 (a tablet with a real operating system!), Amazfit Active 2 watch (a round watch with the ability to easily add my mp3s), and the Z Fold. Can't say I miss Apple at all, and it has been fun to play with new hardware.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wilderkun
My money is on no pencil with the fold, to not lose iPad sales [and keep it thinner].

Despite this I am pretty sure I will be getting it when it comes out.
 
Anybody else tired of hearing about a foldable iPhone? :rolleyes:
This post feels like a post that's been posted at least twenty times. Seriously, when absolutely nothing new is known, why do another version of the post?

However, I'd love more rumors about the next version of the foldable that folds into a square, not a super tall rectangle.
 
I'm not at all interested in a foldable phone, but I will freely acknowledge that I am not the target market for this. I think the 16e is too expensive and my 2nd gen SE is good enough for me and this new device is not aimed at a market segment where price is what drives purchase decisions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WarmWinterHat
$2000 bucks for a phone with a lifespan of a year.... Not for me.....id say unless apple care covers the crease/screen and battery at no extra cost.... BUTT after my recent experience trying to get a battery replaced under Apple Care was so terrible i don't dare try.

Battery replacement under AppleCare:
1. Schedule appointment on Apple site to go to closest Apple auth location (Best Buy 23 miles one way)to have battery replaced.
2. Get text day of appointment appointment canceled they don't do in house battery replacements.
3. Offered to mail it out 5 day turnaround without a phone or drive 120 Miles round trip to Apple Store...... i cant even do my job with out my phone.

Never Again.... So upset i dropped (on accident) my phone screen broke.... Apple mailed me a replacement phone, put my broken phone in the same box mailed it back.....:rolleyes: Not impressed
 
I just don't think foldable screens are for me. Any screen crease just ruins it for me. Also, no matter what anybody might claim, bending electronics is never a good idea. I still think two separate screens aligned by an ultra-precision hinge is the way to go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fjsalcedosotoca
I am kinda addicted to Face ID. Not sure I want to go backward. Other than that, I do want one.
 
View attachment 2574520



APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS PRESENTS: BENDGATE 2 — THE UNFOLDENING


From the visionary minds that brought you Courage (2016 headphone jack removal) and Donglegate (2020 adapter trilogy), comes the aluminum-bending sequel a decade in the making.

In a world obsessed with thinness, one phone dared to curve under pressure.
Now, the truth will bend back.

Starring: The iPhone 6 (restored in 4K), the iPhold, a Levi’s 511 Slim Fit cameo, and Jony Ive as The Narrator Who Sighs Elegantly.

Critics rave:
⭐️ “A masterclass in denial and anodized drama.” – The Verge
⭐️ “Half documentary, half apology, all aluminum.” – Bloomberg
⭐️ “More flexible than Apple’s trade-in values.” – Wall Street Bets

This summer, Apple TV+ invites you to re-experience the stress test that changed everything.
Because some legends… don’t just break — they flex.

BENDGATE 2: THE UNFOLDENING
Rated A for ‘Absolutely avoid putting it in your back pocket.’
Only on Apple TV+. Coming soon to a Genius Bar near you.
Thank you Sir for existing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: xnu
So, super expensive phone with worse cameras, worse authentication (my iPad Air side fingerprint button is super inconsistent) and possibly worse battery life? This thing will flop hard just like the iPhone air. Whoever is willing to spend this amount of money on a phone will REQUIRE the best possible cameras of the line up, a pro duration battery and a very high tech and consistent authentication method, like under the display ultrasonic Touch ID or Face ID. Everyone will pay less to buy the pro max and get a better phone overall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stormshadow
Jumped to Samsung this year because I couldn't keep waiting for a folding phone. There are enough issues with OneUI and Android as a whole that I'm willing to jump back. For what I do with a phone, the (relatively minor) tradeoffs are worth it.
 
Not for me. The external display too small, no Face ID and inferior/lesser number of cameras. I need the fold to have the same cameras as Pro.
 
  • Like
Reactions: obamtl
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.