Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Could Launch In 2026 With Creaseless, Book-Style Design

oi
-Kabir Jain

Published: Thursday, December 25, 2025, 7:15 [IST]

Apple has been circling the idea of a foldable iPhone for years, and now it looks like the company might finally be ready to ship one. According to a recent Front Page Tech video hosted by Jon Prosser, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, internally known as V68, is currently aimed at a 2026 launch.

If that timeline sticks, the foldable iPhone won’t be a side project or a quiet experiment. It’s expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which says a lot about how seriously Apple seems to be taking this category.

Apple Is Going With a Book-Style Foldable

Rather than starting with a flip-style phone, Apple reportedly settled on a book-style foldable design. That puts it closer to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup than something like the Z Flip.

The outer display is said to measure around 5.5 inches, which should feel familiar enough for regular phone use. Open it up, and you’re looking at a 7.8-inch internal display, pushing the device into small tablet territory.

In terms of thickness, the phone is expected to be about 9mm when folded and roughly 4.5mm when fully opened. That’s still thicker than a normal iPhone, but relatively slim by foldable standards.

The Crease Problem Apple Wants to Fix

One of the biggest talking points around Apple’s foldable plans is the crease. It’s something every foldable phone has to deal with, and while it’s not always a deal-breaker, it’s definitely noticeable.

According to Prosser, Apple may be using a pressure-dispersing metal plate under the display, along with liquid metal in the hinge, to reduce how visible that crease is. There’s also mention of an in-cell touch panel, which could help maintain touch accuracy while cutting down on internal layers.

If Apple really manages to make the crease less obvious, that alone would address one of the most common complaints people have about foldable phones.

A Straightforward Camera Setup

Camera hardware on the foldable iPhone doesn’t sound flashy, and that’s probably intentional. The phone is expected to include four cameras in total.

That reportedly includes a front-facing camera on the outer display, two rear cameras, and one camera on the internal foldable screen. The idea seems to be flexibility rather than reinventing how phone cameras work.

You should be able to shoot photos and videos whether the phone is folded or opened, without jumping through hoops.

Touch ID Makes a Comeback

One notable change is what might be missing. Face ID reportedly won’t be part of the foldable iPhone. Instead, Apple is expected to bring back Touch ID, built directly into the power button.

That power button may also sit at the top of the device, which would be a small but noticeable shift from recent iPhone designs. There’s also talk of the phone being eSIM-only, removing the physical SIM tray altogether.

Battery, Modem, and Internal Tweaks

Foldables aren’t exactly known for great battery life, and Apple seems aware of that. The foldable iPhone is expected to use Apple’s second-generation in-house modem, the C2, which should help with efficiency.

Prosser also mentioned high-density battery cells, made possible by slimming down the display driver. It’s less about cramming in a massive battery and more about squeezing better efficiency out of the space Apple has.

Pricing Won’t Be Subtle

If you’re hoping this will be an affordable foldable, it probably won’t be. Pricing is rumored to fall somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, putting it well above the Pro models.

Early reports suggest only black and white color options at launch, with production ramping up in early 2026 ahead of a possible September release.

At that price, the foldable iPhone would clearly sit at the very top of Apple’s lineup. Whether Apple actually brands it as an “Ultra” model remains to be seen, but the positioning already feels ultra-premium.