Apple's foldable iPhone has been rumored for a long time, but it has not been released yet, and speculation continues. This article summarizes the latest rumors about its release time, screen and other features.
While other manufacturers such as the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Z Flip series have launched foldable smartphones, Apple has not launched its own version. All its iPhones and iPads are still tablets with fixed screens that cannot be bent.
But this does not mean that Apple has not secretly developed a folding screen phone. Over the years, there have been various speculations about the development of a folding iPhone called the iPhone Fold, and the leaked information does indicate that Apple is starting to develop this product.
Given that foldable smartphones are most likely to be available, here are the rumored expectations for the iPhone Fold (if it does come out).
Apple obviously hasn't hinted at any potential release date for the iPhone Fold, nor will it be until it's ready to be released. But that didn't stop analysts from predicting the shipment time of the model.
Regarding iPhone Fold, the earliest predictions can be traced back to September 2021, and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that it will be released in 2024. Obviously, this is a bit optimistic, but recent speculation also gives predictions from the same few years later.
In 2024, these claims insist that they may be released as early as 2027. This is a reasonable time frame and it takes a long time to falsify.
Some rumors about the release in 2027 even claimed that Apple originally planned to release in late 2026, but it was postponed to the following year. Again, this is completely reasonable from a manufacturing standpoint, as Apple can always postpone releases for many different reasons.
A whistleblower in February suggested that according to the current sampling process, production of the model may begin in early 2026. Considering Apple's long production plan and other rumors, this could mean the model will be released in 2027.
However, ETNewsIn rumors at the end of February, however, said that some production will begin in the second half of 2025 and be released later in the second half of 2026. That's a little earlier than the 2027 forecast, but for such a complex device, Apple may be more cautious than ever and spend more time fine-tuning production before launching.
Ultimately, no one really knows when it will be released except for the unanimous belief that it is still years away from becoming a reality.
The main reason for buying an iPhone Fold is to have a flexible display. By having an iPhone that can expand into a larger screen, users can enjoy more screen space to run applications, games, and more.
However, creating a folding screen that is reliable for consumers is a considerable challenge. This type of work relies on access to assistance from key partners in the supply chain.
As early as April 2022, there were reports that LG Display was working with Apple to develop displays. However, these reports are viewed from the perspective of foldable iPad or MacBook OLED displays, not iPhones.
A month later, reports about iPhone displays began to emerge.
The expanded iPhone Fold can provide iPad mini-style screen area
In September of the same year, Apple was reportedly working with LG Display and Samsung displays to develop a screen that does not wrinkle. This obviously involves the development of hybrid OLED panels that combine the rigid glass section with the flexible plastic substrate panel (for the curved section).
This is entirely possible because Apple has to work with its key supply chain partners to develop new screens for its products.
It is also very likely to use glass and flexible plastic substrates. Glass components will provide a normal rigid iPhone display that consumers know and love, while plastic meets the bending requirements of folding devices.
A whistleblower in February 2025 claimed that the iPhone Fold's display "can be more than 12 inches in total compared to two 6.1-inch iPhones folded together."
The mathematical calculations of this assumption measure are somewhat wrong, as it is actually a screen size of about 7.5 inches, similar to the 8.3 inches iPad mini.
The whistleblower also insisted that the display will be developed entirely by Samsung, contradicting early LG Display claims, and a January report saying that Apple is still working to decide on a folding display supplier.
In the same month, Weibo whistleblower Digital Chat Station claimed that the large folding screen will be equipped with a 5.49-inch external screen, allowing it to work like an ordinary smartphone. Inside the screen to make it look more like an iPad, the diagonal dimensions are a fairly realistic 7.74 inches.
Folding screen smartphones must not only be durable and suitable for daily use, but also have to deal with additional fatigue. The folding and unfolding process can cause the display to wear, especially at the folding point, which can create creases and eventually damage the display.
As with other foldable screen mobile phone companies, Apple must design the iPhone Fold to overcome this weakness.
The 2022 patent speculation introduces a concept of a foldable iPhone that places the display outside, rather than the inside of the fold. This is a solution to the problem, because the screen does not have to deal with the usually smaller radius of curvature of the internal fold, but only deals with the issue of permanent exposure to the elements.
Folding iPhone Fold may put the screen under pressure from creases
Analysts have also noticed the idea of external displays, and have raised this possibility at least once.
Apple has also considered the internal screen folding design, but has adopted a very complex hinge mechanism. The idea is to add support where the display is most vulnerable so that the user can press the flexible part.
The patent also proposes the idea of using stretchable displays. However, it seems unlikely that Apple will adopt this approach for the iPhone Fold at the moment.
The ETNews report at the end of February 2025 stated that Apple's foldable iPhone may not have creases at all. Sources have stressed again that Apple is working to avoid wrinkles on display, which may appear over time.
The folding screen smartphone is characterized by a larger visual area when designed as a book rather than a clamshell style. This size increase could make it a very large iPhone, or maybe something else.
If the size of the expandable display is large enough, it can be considered similar to the size of the iPad mini. This can make the iPhone Fold a two-in-one device, switching between a smartphone and a tablet.
The folded iPhone Fold may be very compact compared to the iPad mini
Samsung had actually confidently predicted that Apple's first folding device in 2024 will be a tablet. Since Samsung was a key display partner for Apple, this was quite credible at the time.
Kuo Mingchi also predicts that the foldable iPad may be released in 2024, just one year later. However, others at the time insisted that folding screen iPad-style designs would not be launched that year, including DSCC's Ross Young.
We at least know that there is no release in 2024.
The rumor about Apple's new device category is that there is no real guarantee that any rumor is correct. Part of the reason may be that some whimsical whistleblowers work on uncertain data or want to cause a sensation from major predictions.
However, a large part of the reason is Apple itself. New hardware types often don't come from Apple, but as the actual hardware shipment time approaches, these leaks tend to become more conclusive and accelerate their spread.
The problem is that we are far from reaching that point. We are still in a very early stage and Apple has not properly determined its plans.
Another issue is the nature of production and Apple's long development and production plan. Each annual upgrade of the iPhone series takes two years to produce, and there may be a lot of changes in the early stages that will affect what will happen later.
iPhone Fold will catch up with competitors that have already provided folding devices to the public
Similarly, it's too early to be sure what other specifications of the iPhone Fold are. While it is likely to copy high-end components inside a Pro-class iPhone, we can't say these details accurately.
In February 2025, social media sharer Jukanlosreve (formerly TechReve) released a suspicious leak, attempting the specifications. The list appears to include a 5000mAh "3D stacked" battery cell system, a new ultra-thin Meta Lens front camera, and a rear main camera and ultra-wide-angle camera.
Theoretically, the thickness is 4.6 mm when expanded and 9.2 mm when folded, which is thinner than the M4 iPad Pro.
However, the account has very mixed records on leaked information. Add to the so-called release time in 2027, and it becomes quite suspicious.
At present, the time range and core specifications will remain dynamically changed. Until Apple is close to releasing the iPhone Fold, we won't know what's inside it.
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