Apple is rumoured to bring its first foldable iPhone sometime this year. Though not officially confirmed, the handset is expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in September. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his PowerOn newsletter said that Apple’s foldable iPhone will be “the first actual form-factor change”, adding it is “going to be the most significant overhaul in the iPhone’s history”. “The iPhone 4, iPhone 6 and iPhone X were clearly a big deal”, Gurman writes.
Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone is said to have a book-style form factor giving users more screen to watch videos or play games. Gurman says that he believes a foldable iPhone can “even be an iPad replacement in many cases”.
Apple foldable iPhone: Expected design and features
According to previous reports, the foldable iPhone will include an external screen about the size of a small iPhone display. The internal foldable screen will open to a larger display.
Apple has reportedly worked on reducing the crease that appears when the screen is folded. The company has used a different display technology that may reduce the crease, though it may still be visible.
The device is also designed to improve durability by increasing the number of times the screen can be folded and unfolded before wearing out. The external display will include a hole-punch cutout for the front camera. This will replace the pill-shaped notch used on current iPhones.
Apple is expected to remove the Face ID system on this device and instead include Touch ID in the side button. This would mark the first iPhone with a fingerprint sensor since the third-generation iPhone SE released in 2022.
The foldable iPhone is expected to include two rear cameras. Reports suggest the device may be priced at around $2,000 and positioned at the top of Apple’s iPhone lineup.
Foldable iPhone availability
Last week, Gurman reported that Apple’s foldable iPhone may ship months after its launch. The smartphone may debut in September but is expected to start shipping few months after the Pro models go on sale. This means buyers may have to wait longer to get their hands on Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone.
