Apple is reportedly engaged on a foldable smartphone, in response to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who shared particulars on March 5. Kuo works for TF Worldwide Securities and gathers data from Apple’s suppliers in Asia. He claimed the system will characteristic a 7.8-inch internal show that folds vertically, with no seen crease, together with a 5.5-inch outer show. The telephone is predicted to retail between $2,000 and $2,500.
Regardless of the premium price ticket, Kuo stated Apple’s fanbase is unlikely to be deterred, and the corporate predicts the foldable telephone will “generate robust alternative demand” so long as the standard lives as much as expectations.
For comparability, the bigger variant of the iPhone 16 Professional Max prices $1,199.
Foldable iPhone rumored to come back out in 2026
Foldable telephones are eye-catching, however the hinge can break beneath pressure, making them extra more likely to want restore than a flat mannequin. Apple’s hinge shall be made from stainless-steel and titanium alloy, Kuo stated.
Mass manufacturing is reportedly scheduled for 2026, with a second-generation mannequin probably launching the next 12 months.
Apple continues to increase its generative AI options, and the foldable telephone is predicted to be a key a part of this technique. Its bigger, split-screen design might allow new AI-driven experiences, corresponding to having an AI chatbot on one display screen and a map open on the opposite, Kuo stated.
SEE: The brand new MacBook Air has a price ticket $100 lower than its predecessor.
Face ID unlikely as a result of design constraints
Alternatively, Kuo additionally advised that Face ID in all probability gained’t work on the foldable telephone due to mechanical constraints associated to the telephone’s thickness (4.5–4.8mm when unfolded). As an alternative, Apple is predicted to combine Contact ID into the aspect button.
The system will reportedly characteristic a single front-facing digicam that works whether or not the telephone is open or closed, whereas a rear-facing digicam stays enclosed throughout the folded panels.
Apple faces powerful competitors within the foldable market
Apple is getting into a foldable telephone market already dominated by Google and Samsung. The Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold, with its horizontal or book-like form, offered for $1,799. Samsung makes a foldable telephone (the Galaxy Z Fold 6) and a flip telephone (the Galaxy Z Flip 6). In the meantime, Motorola can also be hanging on to its retro cred with the 2024 Razr line.