The introduction of the foldable smartphone into the market by Apple has taken years to materialize and as per the industry analysts and supply chain reports, will finally happen in September 2026. The product, which is also known as the iPhone Fold, is the most ambitious device that Apple has ever attempted to make hardware-wise, and the price reflects the self-belief and ambition put into it.
This will be priced at a relatively high level, at an anticipated cost of $1,999, and possibly, at an elevated cost of $2,500 in the case of more expensive models, becoming the most costly iphone by far. More than brand prestige that price is based on. Both the technical difficulties of developing a truly crease-free foldable display and the engineering aspects needed to produce it have necessitated Apple to both acquire specialized parts and manufacturing technologies that have cost the company two to four times as much as the traditional manufacturing of smartphones.
The Engineering Challenge
New iPhone Fold will have a display of 7.8 inches, which has about the same amount of screen space as the previous iPad mini. Folded, a user will be able to engage with a 5.5-inch exterior display, the same size as the also-discontinued iPhone mini. This book-like appearance as Mark Gurman of Bloomberg refers to it as looking like two titanium iPhone Airs next to each other, is both portability and functionality oriented.
The most prominent feature of the device is that it is thin. The iPhone Fold, when open, will be just 4.5 to 4.8 millimeters in thickness, which is roughly 20 percent thinner than the fixed-form iPhone Air which is 5.6 millimeters. This is spectacular in the light of the fact that the device has to fit a complicated hinge mechanism and folding display technology.
That slim line has its costs. Apple will allegedly drop Face ID, and go with Touch ID built into the side button. The Face ID sensor array is also exceptionally thick internally and Apple opted to give that up in order to obtain the intended thinness.
The Crease Solution
The problem with current foldable phones, such as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, is unanimous a visible crease, where a screen is folded. The main competitive advantage of Apple lies in the fact that this issue can be resolved due to the use of high-tech materials and high-precision production.
The resolution is to use a special metal plate under the display, which dispels stress when the display is bent. The plates, which are mostly provided by Fine M-Tec, must be laser drilled to form fine microstructures that direct the distribution of the stress. This manufacturing process adds 50 to 75 percent to the cost of the components used in the conventional manufacturing process, but the outcome is an almost crease-free inner display.
Display itself will be based on the Ultra-Thin Glass by Corning, and the back-end processing will be done solely by the General Interface Solution in Taiwan. This alliance was created with the sole aim of fulfilling quality concerns of Apple. Ultra-Thin Glass is highly susceptible to micro-cracks, surface particles and stress fatigue. Any imperfection might threaten the structural integrity of the screen, and therefore GIS needs to achieve virtually zero defect levels during cutting, edge treatment and inspection.
Materials and Durability
The hinge mechanism is the first time that Apple has made significant use of Liquidmetal, an amorphous metal alloy, in a critical mechanical part. The usage of this material was also intentional. Liquidmetal is harder by 2.5 times that of titanium and so it is very resistant to repeated stress of folding and unfolding. It consists of titanium and stainless steel hinge with liquid metal technology that forms a composite structure that is very reliable over time.
Hinge supplier competition is intense. FineMec by South Korea, already providing internal hinges to Samsung foldable product line, will be a solid contender. Dongguan Iontec of China is also a competitor, especially in its competence in new technology of molding liquid metal components.
Performance and Features
Apple will also use its A20 chip in the iPhone Fold with 12GB of RAM and at least 256GB of storage. This design will accommodate the iPad-level multitasking on two 2 high-resolution OLED displays, both with the LTPO technology that enables adjustable refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
The camera features four sensors altogether, a twin 48 megapixels rear camera system, with two front-facing cameras. There is one front camera, which is available to use in standard smartphone mode when folded, and a second one is incorporated in the internal display during tablet mode.
The device will be powered by a 4,700 mAh battery, and will be charged wirelessly at 20 watts. This is required to maintain the high demanded environment that two large high refresh rate displays create.
Market Effect and Strategic Position.
Late adoption of foldables in Apple is not without a purpose. The firm has observed its rivals set the category as it gathers information on failure points and preferences of the consumers. It is expected that with its release in 2026, Apple will provide a product that goes beyond current shortcomings instead of merely matching them.
TrendForce analysts imagine that the advent of Apple will spur the market to adopt it much faster, with global penetration of foldable phones rising to more than 3 percent by 2027, compared to the current 1.6 percent. JPMorgan predicts 6-8 million units of initial production in 2026 with Ming-Chi Kuo estimating a 10 million-unit sale in the first year and may reach 25 million in 2027.
There is also a bigger strategic use of iPhone Fold. It serves as a test bed on the component technology and supply chain processes required in a foldable iPad, which is projected in 2028. The time window of two years enables Apple to continue improving the quality of manufacturing, checking the durability through mass production, and adjust cost structures prior to trying a bigger foldable product.
The Bottom Line
The iPhone Fold is a huge investment in high-end engineering as a differentiator in the market. Apple is not attempting to be first or the lowest price. The company is trying to be unquestionably superior, with a crease-free display, high-quality materials, and durability over the long-term, which can justify high cost.
It is yet to be seen whether consumers will spend over 2,000 and above on such improvements. However, in case Apple wins, the device will redefine the expectations of the entire foldable category, where competitors will need to not only keep the features at par but also the base level of quality Apple sets. In the case of Apple, that would be a welcome relief.