iPhone Fold Rumors: Will Apple’s First Foldable Beat Samsung’s Design?
iPhone Fold expected in 2026 with premium materials, foldable screen, and high price; Apple aims to blend design, functionality, and iOS experience.
image for illustrative purpose
Apple is said to be planning to make its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Fold, available in 2024, even if the launch of the iPhone 18 series is likely to be divided into two parts. The foldable device has been expected for a long time, and Apple is rumored to be very close to its unveiling, which rivals, especially Samsung, might be observing with great interest.
By the iPhone Fold, analysts try to estimate the market segment it would occupy and the pricing. The smartphone is a pioneer to Apple’s total compatibility of iOS with foldable hardware, a move that tech fans are longing to see working.
Fubon Research’s Arthur Liao gave an early price estimate for the foldable, saying that the iPhone Fold might cost around $2,399 (around Rs 2.14 lakh). At that price, it will be over the 1TB variant of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is an indication of Apple’s plan to possibly restrict the availability of the product to certain locations, much like the strategy for the Vision Pro headset.
The high pricing is attributed to the fact that Apple will use premium, light-weight materials like titanium, which will most probably be the key material in the design of the device. Nonetheless, the price does not deter the analysts who are very positive about the product and predict sales of 15.4 million units for the first-generation iPhone Fold, with 5.6 million units shipping in 2026 alone.
Reports further suggest that Apple might work with Samsung to get the foldable OLED display while the external cover screen could be about 5 to 6 inches. The iPhone Air’s design hints at what the Fold could be like with its emphasis on combining robustness and fashion.
The iPhone Fold is anticipated to come out with the A20 Pro chipset which would also be used for the next iPhone 18 Pro series. On one hand, Google's Pixel Fold focuses on strength while on the other hand Apple is trying to concede aesthetic design and functional durability. The goal is to provide a premium experience by not sacrificing usability.
