Apple is preparing its first foldable iPhone for 2026; everything known so far

After years of patent filings, whispered leaks, and the occasional analyst breadcrumb, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is starting to look real. If current reports hold, 2026 is when Apple enters the foldable race, not with a dramatic reinvention of the category, but with the kind of slow-burn polish the company is known for.

The device widely referred to as the iPhone Fold is expected to arrive as a book-style foldable, closer in spirit to a pocket-sized iPad than a novelty flip phone. Multiple reports from trusted sources suggest Apple has spent the better part of the last few years obsessing over the two things that matter most to it: build quality and user experience.

Foldable with Apple DNA all over

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s first foldable will open horizontally, offering a compact outer display for daily tasks and a larger inner screen that unfolds into a tablet-like canvas.

Screen sizes are still being debated among insiders, but the consensus points to roughly a 5.5-inch cover display and a near 7.8-inch inner panel. In other words, it may be something that slips into a pocket but opens up into serious multitasking territory.

The bigger talking point is the display itself. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple has effectively cracked the foldable industry’s biggest problem: the crease. The solution reportedly involves a metal plate system that redistributes stress as the screen bends, paired with liquid metal hinges designed for long-term durability.

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A Chinese supply-chain report goes as far as calling it the first crease-free foldable smartphone, which is a bold claim in a category that has struggled to hide its seams.

True to form, Apple is expected to wrap all of this in an ultra-premium shell. The chassis is tipped to be titanium, with a hinge that blends titanium and stainless steel for strength without bulk. It is the same material philosophy Apple has leaned into with its recent high-end iPhones, now adapted for a far more complex form factor.

Premium pricing and a cautious timeline

Camera hardware looks suitably high-end, if not headline-grabbing. Leaks point to a quad-camera setup, including dual 48MP rear sensors, a front-facing camera for folded use, and an under-display camera on the inner screen to keep the larger panel visually uninterrupted.

Interestingly, Face ID may sit this one out, with Apple expected to rely on a Touch ID power button, similar to recent iPads, to save internal space.

ALSO READ: Apple’s foldable iPhone is tipped to mix titanium and aluminium

Under the hood, the iPhone Fold is expected to use Apple’s second-generation C2 modem, continuing the company’s gradual move away from Qualcomm. Reports also suggest the device will be eSIM-only, with no physical SIM tray, and will use high-density battery cells to offset the power demands of two displays.

None of this will come cheap. Industry estimates put pricing anywhere between $1,800 (~Rs 1,61,300) and $2,500 (~Rs 2,24,000), comfortably making it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold.

A fall 2026 launch is the current target, though some analysts caution that further refinements to the hinge or display could push it into 2027.