Apple’s first foldable iPhone may sport a book-style design and a steep $2,000+ price tag. It will apparently sport a 7.8-inch inner folding display, with a 5.5-inch cover display.
Despite its high price tag, the foldable iPhone will seemingly have a strong replacement demand among loyal Apple fans.
First folding iPhone could sport a crease-less display
Samsung, Motorola, Oppo, and other major smartphone manufacturers have all released multiple folding phones. Apple is the only outlier so far. All signs point to the company unveiling the first foldable iPhone in 2026.
Despite being late to the market and a steep price tag, Apple’s folding iPhone will have strong replacement demand. That’s what TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes. In a research note, the analyst has shared more information about the alleged specs of the folding iPhone and a purported price of $2,000-$2,500.
The analyst says Apple’s first folding iPhone will sport a book-style design, with a larger 7.8-inch “crease-free” inner screen. Due to its design and the lack of internal space, the device will purportedly skip Face ID and feature a Touch ID-integrated side button. It will supposedly house dual rear cameras, with two cameras on the front: one on the cover display and another on the folding screen.
Apple’s first folding iPhone will apparently be just 4.5-4.8mm thick when unfolded, with the folded thickness estimated to be around 9-9.5mm. For durability and weight concerns, the hinge will use a combination of stainless steel and titanium alloy. The casing itself will also use titanium alloy.
Like the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, Apple’s foldable iPhone may feature a high-density battery.
Second-gen folding iPhone may arrive in 2027
Kuo estimates that Apple will ship around 3-5 million foldable iPhones in its launch year. Due to the complex production process, the company will limit its volume production until 2027. The device sales will supposedly get a major boost with the launch of the second-generation model, with Kuo estimating that total shipments could reach 20 million in 2027.
Apple will seemingly finalize the specs of the folding iPhone in Q2 2025. The “official project kickoff” will happen in Q3 2025, followed by mass production in Q4 2026. The second-gen folding iPhone will apparently arrive in H2 2027.
