Just as Apple appeared to be lowering prices with the affordable iPhone 16e and a £100-cheaper MacBook Air, the tech giant may be about to reverse course with its priciest iPhone yet – an ultra-premium foldable model.
In a first for the company, the device will feature a folding screen that opens and shuts like a book, according to top Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo, who expects the foldable iPhone to cost between $2,000 to $2,500.
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For Brits, that could equate to a staggering £2,000 to £2,500, as Apple typically uses price localisation instead of converting prices based on currency.
By comparison, Apple’s current top-of-the-range handset, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, costs between £1,199 to £1,599 based on the amount of storage you choose.
Folding Apple iPhone rumoured release date
Apple has quietly been working on folding devices for years, with previous reports mentioning the existence of a foldable iPad and a clamshell-style iPhone similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Flip. Patents have teased even wilder designs, including rollable screens made of flexible, malleable glass.
Apple, which typically releases four new iPhone models annually, is expected to unveil a foldable device next year alongside a mysterious new design.
Despite the daunting price, Kuo believes the folding iPhone will ship three to five million units in 2026 alone. Combined with a second-gen model tipped for 2027, total shipments for the new iPhones could reach a whopping 20 million units.
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The move would see Apple playing catch-up with its main rivals. For its part, Samsung has released six editions of its luxury Galaxy Z Fold handset, featuring a book-style design, with the most recent priced at £1,799. Boasting similar looks, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts from £1,749.
Folding Apple iPhone rumoured design
Notably, the folding iPhone’s 5.5-inch outer display, according to Kuo, would make it more compact when closed than the aforementioned models. When opened, its 7.8-inch display would be roughly the same size as Google’s screen and slightly larger than Samsung’s.
Borrowing a feature from those devices, Kuo predicts the return of the fingerprint sensor (or TouchID, as Apple calls it), this time integrated into the side button.
Like the standard iPhone 16, it is said to feature two cameras on the back, while a front camera will be available when folded or opened. If that sounds confusing, Samsung gets around this issue by having a selfie camera on the front and an under-screen lens hidden inside the unfolded screen.
The iPhone will apparently be 9mm–9.5mm thick when folded and 4.5mm–4.8mm when unfolded, making it thinner than Samsung and Google’s devices in both configurations.
A crease-free display?
Apple CEO Tim Cook has championed a “not first, but best” approach to innovation. In the case of its upcoming foldable device, Apple is reportedly taking its time to eliminate the dreaded crease that often mars the display of bendy phones.
Folding handsets are meant to offer the big screen perks of a tablet with the portability of a smartphone. But, Apple may have an ulterior motive for releasing such a device.
According to Kuo, a foldable iPhone could enhance the AI experience. For example, users could type or speak to a chatbot about travel plans while simultaneously viewing a full-screen map app.
