Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is coming—and it won’t be cheap. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is targeting a price between $2,000 and $2,500 for the foldable iPhone, putting it well above competing foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Honor Magic V3, and the Oppo Find N5. But with a premium price tag comes a big question: How will Apple justify its price?
Apple’s production plans
Apple isn’t rushing into the foldable game. Kuo reports that mass production is set for Q4 2026, meaning the first-gen model will land seven years after Samsung’s first foldable. Despite being late to the party, Apple is betting big: it expects to ship 3-5 million units in its first year. For perspective, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 had an initial shipment target of just 800,000 units.
Apple’s ambitions don’t stop there. A second-gen foldable iPhone is already in the works, with production ramping up in 2027. The company aims to ship 20 million units in its second year—a huge leap forwards that suggests Apple sees foldables as a major new product category rather than a niche experiment.
What we know so far
Apple is expected to finalize the hardware by Q2 2025, but Kuo has already shared some key details. For starters, don’t expect Face ID to make the cut. Space constraints mean Apple is ditching Face ID in favor of a side-mounted Touch ID sensor.
Apple will also adopt a book-style foldable with a 7.8-inch crease-free display and a 5.5-inch outer screen. The hinge is built from a titanium-stainless steel mix, with a titanium alloy frame. Expect a thickness of 9-9.5mm thick when folded and 4.5-4.8mm thin when unfolded. This would make the foldable iPhone bulkier than rivals like the Oppo Find N5.
As for its cameras and battery, the foldable iPhone will feature dual rear cameras, selfie cameras on both displays, and the same battery tech as the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Now that we think about it, maybe the iPhone 17 Air is Apple’s attempt at trying to cram specs into a thinner body. This makes it the perfect testbed for its upcoming foldable.
On paper, these specs don’t scream industry disruptor. Apple’s foldable iPhone lacks any obvious groundbreaking features. This makes its $2,500 price point a tough sell—unless the company has a hidden Ace up its sleeve.
2025-03-06 15:05:08