Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone (2025)

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable ‌iPhone‌ that it's satisfied with because Apple wants to get away from the pesky crease that impacts most foldable smartphones on the market. Apple is aiming for an entirely creaseless look so you won't be distracted by a visible line going through the middle of the display.
It'll open like a book. Based on the myriad rumors we've heard, Apple experimented with multiple designs. There was talk last year that Apple would go with a clamshell design that opens top to bottom, like the Galaxy Z Flip. That's possibly something we'll see in the future, but now it's sounding like Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ will have the book-like design we've seen in foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold. iOS isn't designed for a horizontal orientation, so this is going to require some major software updates. Apple is rumored to be working to redesign iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 to be more consistent cross-platform, and that kind of design would work well when you need an operating system that works seamlessly in both vertical and horizontal orientations.
For size, imagine the iPad mini. When it's closed, Apple's foldable ‌iPhone‌ is rumored to have a 5.5-inch outer display, which is smaller than current ‌iPhone‌ models that start at 6.1 inches. When opened, though, it will be 7.8 inches, which isn't too far off from the old 7.9-inch iPad mini. Picture the ‌iPad mini‌ in horizontal orientation, or put two 6.1-inch iPhones side by side to get an idea of how big the display might be.
It's going to be thick and thin. Apple is going to use some iPhone 17 Air tech for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, and it could be as thin as 4.8mm when it's opened up. That's even thinner than the 5.1mm 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is Apple's thinnest device to date. When closed, though, it'll be somewhere around 9mm to 9.5mm, which is chunky.
It might have Touch ID. This is a weird one, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple might use a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID. If Apple can't slim down that front-facing TrueDepth camera module enough to get the screen to an acceptable thinness, ‌Touch ID‌ could work instead.
It's going to cost you. Foldable smartphones are far from cheap, even from Android manufacturers. Apple's version is going to be expensive, with rumors suggesting it will be priced somewhere around $2,000 to $2,500.

These are just the current rumors, and in the years before a device actually launches, information can be all over the place due to Apple's experimentation. The details we're hearing are starting to firm up, but there could be changes before it comes out. And given Apple's track record lately, it might never be released.

Right now, it looks like we could get the first foldable ‌iPhone‌ right around late 2026, so we might be hearing more in the coming months as we get into the 2026 ‌iPhone‌ rumor cycle.

Tag: Foldable iPhone Guide

[ 208 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

iZac

4 days ago at 05:05 pm

OK this is my last edit - I don't know why I got so obsessed with drawing this thing:

* Exactly 4:3 aspect ratio on internal screen.
* 7.8" and 5.5" screen sizes.
* 1.5mm bezels to match the current pro phones.
* TouchID on the centre of the side to help grip it when opening.
* volume rocker on the top just because I thought it was cleaner.
* Camera bar as per rumoured general design direction.
* Aluminium with a glass panel as per rumoured general design direction.
* No action button because I forgot I wasn't modelling an iPad.
* Internal selfie camera is slightly off centre from the fold, probably doesn't work.
* No external selfie camera because no FaceID and you can fold out the better quality main camera.
* Compared to an iPhone 12 mini at the end.

And if anyone is interested, this fold 3D model is 19.8mm wider (including the hinge) than an iPhone mini but 7.6mm shorter than an iPhone mini. Again - all speculation, but it's drawn based on the rumours.

Also, more iPhone mini and pro max comparisons here ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/six-things-to-know-about-apples-upcoming-foldable-iphone.2454254/post-33830762') and here ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/six-things-to-know-about-apples-upcoming-foldable-iphone.2454254/post-33831998')

Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Plutonius

4 days ago at 04:29 pm

The only rumor that I'm sure is true is number 6 (It's going to cost you.) :).

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bobbyjack

4 days ago at 04:15 pm

What’s the demand for foldable phones? I never see anyone using one for anything other than showing it’s a foldable phone.

Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)

JohnC1959

4 days ago at 04:06 pm

WHY? So not needed.

Though we know from past comments on this very website that there are those that have been wanting this. Personally I don't see a need but I certainly am not opposed to there be the option. It won't be a big seller but it will likely lead to better (and maybe more varied) foldable in the future that may appeal to a larger market.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Soonerpet

4 days ago at 04:52 pm

$2000+ for a phone? That’s insane.

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

JPack

4 days ago at 05:21 pm

If I wanted to use a tablet I use my iPad. And it doesn't cost $2500.. Pass

Why use iPad when you can use $499 Mac mini attached to a battery bank and portable monitor?

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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