In 2026, Apple is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone, tentatively named the iPhone Fold. While Apple has been developing foldable devices for some time, its competitors, such as Samsung and Google, have been marketing foldable smartphones for several years now. This device is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone Fold has a book-style fold design that offers a large display for both productivity and entertainment purposes.
Key Takeaways:
- Anticipated launch in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series.
- Offer a tablet-like experience with a massive 7.8-inch internal OLED display.
- Constructed with a titanium chassis and Liquid Metal hinge.
- A20 Pro chip integration for efficient high-speed processing.
- Projected starting price in India could be approximately Rs 1,85,000.
The device has an internal display of 7.8 inches. This is bigger than the 6.9-inch display of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The external display is 5.5 inches. This allows quick functions like texting or checking maps. The display technology is OLED which offers deep blacks and bright colors. Apple wants to keep the phone thin, so it might use a Touch ID sensor on the power button. This replaces the Face ID sensors that usually take up space at the top of the screen. To make the folding part strong, the company is using Liquid Metal for the hinge parts.
The A20 Pro processor is built as a 2nm chip, allowing rapid computing and thermal efficiency across multiple applications. This chip is accompanied by 12GB of RAM and allows storage expansion to 1TB. Energy sustenance is provided by a battery that is between 5,400 and 5,800mAh which sustains both screens throughout the day. In terms of connectivity, Apple is eliminating the physical SIM card slots and eSIMs as a digital SIM card that is embedded within the phone.
The device will operate using iOS 27. Apple is introducing features that allow the use of two applications simultaneously to optimize the use of the widescreen display. The rear of the device features a 48-megapixel primary camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera. Both the internal and external displays have small cutouts for the front-facing camera.
The iPhone Fold is expected to be very expensive, with reports estimating costs between $2,000 and $2,400 in the U.S. In India, considering the applicable import duties and local taxes, the expected price could begin around Rs 1,85,000. Due to the complex production process needed for the foldable screen, the company is likely to ship this model several weeks after the standard iPhone 18 series.
FAQ
Q1: When will the foldable iPhone come out?
A1: The phone is expected to arrive in September 2026 during the usual Apple fall event.
Q2: Will it have a physical SIM card?
A2: Current reports suggest it will only use eSIM technology, with no space for a physical SIM card chip.
Q3: What is the screen size?
A3: It should have a 7.8-inch internal screen and a 5.5-inch external screen.
Q4: How much will the iPhone Fold cost in India?
A4: The estimated price in India is between Rs 1,85,000 and Rs 2,24,000.
