Apple might be fashionably late to the foldables party, but it looks like it’s finally RSVP’d. According to a new report from BusinessKorea, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to drop in the second half of 2026 — and it’s going to be packing some serious (and pricey) specs.
The company is reportedly working closely with Samsung Display, which will supply the OLED panels for the device. Why Samsung? Apparently, they’ve managed to shrink the crease in the folding display — something Apple wasn’t quite happy with on rival panels from LG or BOE.
What to expect: iPad vibes in iPhone skin
Leaks suggest the foldable iPhone will feature a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen, which would basically make it a mini iPad when unfolded. It’s even rumoured to carry an almost 4:3 aspect ratio, borrowed from the iPad Air and iPad Pro, to make sure apps and iOS scale smoothly.
Samsung is expected to start producing the OLED panels by late 2025 or early 2026, so Apple’s timeline for a late-2026 release checks out. The company might also ramp up production to as many as 15 million units, a big jump from previous estimates.
It will be expensive. Like, really expensive
Here’s the catch — or rather, the dent in your wallet. The foldable iPhone is rumoured to start at $2,300 (that’s nearly ₹2 lakh in India), making it more expensive than even the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Analysts say it could go as high as $2,500 depending on configuration.
That price tag would place it squarely in luxury gadget territory, directly taking on the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold, Huawei’s Mate X, and offerings from Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Honor.
Is Apple late or just patient?
Apple’s never been first to the party — but when it shows up, it usually means business. The company seems to be waiting until foldable tech matures a bit more before diving in. With Samsung ironing out screen creases and iOS evolving fast, 2026 might finally be the year Apple flips the switch on foldables.
Now the real question is: will people spend over ₹2 lakh on a foldable iPhone? If any brand can convince them, it’s Apple.
