Apple’s $2,000 Foldable iPhone Might Be a Flop | Image Source: www.macrumors.com
Cupertino, California, April 9, 2025 – Apple would take a bold step in the world of folding, with leaks that suggest not only one but two folding devices in development: an iPhone Fold 7.8 inches and an iPad Fold 18.8 inches. According to several industry investors, including the famous Digital Chat Station filter and analyst Jeff Pu, Apple’s entry into the folding market is now beyond the prototype stage and into the introduction of the new product (NPI), with a large-scale production planned for late 2026.
But is the world ready for a folding iPhone? And most importantly, is Apple ready? The buzz around the iPhone Fold is undeniable, but the details so far reveal a complex image, full of commitments, high costs and a concept that could be more style than substance. While Apple’s folding ambitions indicate innovation, the road ahead seems paved with as much concern as emotion.
What are the main features of iPhone Fold?
The iPhone Fold, rumor for a book style design, will have two different screens. According to Digital Chat Station, the indoor folding screen will measure 7.76 inches with a resolution of 2713 x 1.920, supported by lower-screen camera technology to maintain a clean and immersive experience. The outside screen, however, will be 5.49 inches with a resolution of 2.088 x 1.422 and a conventional drilling chamber.
In particular, the device should use a 4: 3 look ratio on the indoor screen, ideal for multitasking and playback. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo corroborates these specifications and even added that Apple has a free-to-create indoor screen, a remarkable challenge that folding competitors like Samsung and Google still have to conquer completely. In addition, there are whispers that Apple could leave Face ID in favor of a Touch ID power button, a change driven by space restrictions on the factor in a folding way.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the folding iPhone will also benefit from the hardware advances introduced in the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, including the screen, battery and chip updates. But these features have a high cost, with the device that should be launched with a price north of $2,000 – potentially even $2,500.
Will Apple launch a folding iPad too?
Yeah, and that’s when things get even more interesting. Analyst Jeff Pu says Apple is preparing to launch both a folding iPhone and an 18.8-inch bend iPad in 2026. It would be a particularly aggressive movement for Apple, a company traditionally known for methodical products.
The digital chat station has previously suggested that the iPad Fold would include the under-display face identifier and could even launch a touch version of macOS, a long-standing desire among Apple’s followers. However, Mark Gurman contradicts that the iPad Fold may not reach until 2028, saying that Apple designers are working on a product that opens up to the size of two iPad Pros side by side.
This discrepancy in timelines highlights the uncertainty and complexity surrounding Apple’s folding roadmap. However, if Pu’s prognosis holds, 2026 could become one of the last years in Apple’s product history.
What are the disadvantages of folding?
While folds may seem like a look at the future, their history leaves much to be desired. Despite the half-decade of availability, folding devices did not capture more than 1% of the smartphone market, as industry sources point out. And it’s not hard to see why.
They are usually expensive, fragile and full of commitments. Even Samsung or Google top folds suffer from problems such as screen folds, limited durability, and battery life. Apple strives to alleviate these concerns, but nothing less than technological advancement can completely erase them.
For example, the lack of an inside screen fold may seem promising, but Apple has not revealed how they plan to achieve this without compromising structural integrity. And let’s not forget the famous MagSafe Duo charger, which had about 200 folds. If something so simple couldn’t last, why not a $2,000 folding phone with hundreds of mobile parts?
Why Apple Ditching Face ID?
It seems Apple can sacrifice Face ID on the iPhone Fold to save space, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. Instead, the device could rely on a Touch ID sensor integrated with the side button, a movement that recalls the iPad Air alignment. While some may appreciate Touch ID’s return, it is undoubtedly a setback in terms of comfort and safety.
Speculation also suggests Apple could implement Dynamic Island on the external screen for quick interactions, but these are still only theories. In any event, this decision highlights Manzanas’ important compensation in the form of balance and functioning. Looking for a folding factor could come at the expense of the user experience, an Apple risk rarely takes lightly.
Is it innovation or imitation?
Apple’s interest in folds is clearly reactive rather than proactive. For years, Android manufacturers like Samsung and Huawei have explored folding designs, often for lukewarm reception. Apple, which is traditionally proud of user-centred innovation, now seems to be pursuing trends rather than establishing them.
The iPhone Fold seems to exist less because the requested users and more because the competitors have. This is a dangerous position for Apple, whose success has always worked to deliver products that people didn’t even know they needed. On the other hand, folds are more like gimmicks than essential updates. As Mattias Inghe from Foundry pointed out, these devices seem fresh but do not solve any real problems.
Can a folding iPhone replace your phone and tablet?
It’s about a million dollars, or two thousand dollars. While a folding phone that folds like a tablet seems convenient, it can end up being a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. Today’s iPhones already handle most exceptionally good tasks, and iPads offer higher productivity for more demanding workflows.
The addition of hinges and a flexible screen does not necessarily improve this experience. Actually, I could compromise. Instead of replacing two devices, a folding iPhone could end up being a fragile and overworked average terrain that is not highlighted in any category. As a report correctly says: if you can buy a premium iPhone and an iPad capable of less than the cost of a single folding phone, what is the real value?
Is there a contract for folding?
The folds didn’t take the world by storm. Despite intensive marketing and several generations of devices, they remain niche products. Shareholders and competitors can tap Apple to catch up, but that doesn’t mean customers are asking for a folding phone.
According to 9to5Mac, even if Apple launches iPhone Fold and iPad Fold in 2026, the real test will be if consumers find real value in these products. And so far, the evidence suggests the opposite. Most people are perfectly happy with slab-style phones and tablets, especially when they offer greater durability, performance and value.
In addition, Apple’s own delays with Apple Intelligence – a series of artificial intelligence tools revealed prematurely due to competitive pressure – should serve as a precautionary history. Pressure often leads to mistakes, and in a market as unforgivable as technology, there is little room for error.
Will Apple beat the odds and offer a folding that redefines mobile computing? Maybe. But based on information so far, the iPhone Fold feels more like a high-end experience than a sure thing.
Sometimes innovation is not about doing something different – it’s about doing the right thing. And when it comes to folds, Apple may need to ask: is it really better, or just more recent?
