Industry watchers continue to speculate about Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which is widely expected to arrive late next year. Although the company has not officially confirmed the project, reports suggest the device may take the form of two iPhone Airs placed back-to-back.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that sources close to the development believe the foldable iPhone will closely resemble the thin design of the iPhone Air. The handset could therefore be relatively slim for a foldable, though possibly thicker than existing rivals such as Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which measures 10.8mm, and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold7, which comes in at 8.9mm. By comparison, the iPhone Air is just 5.6mm thick.
Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested the device could be even slimmer when unfolded, with a potential thickness of around 4.5mm. However, slimness may come at a cost. Gurman expects the foldable iPhone to carry a starting price of at least US$2,000, which would make it more expensive than Google’s Pixel Fold.
Focus on durability
Durability is set to play a major role in Apple’s approach. Foldable smartphones have often raised concerns about long-term reliability, despite improvements in recent years. Gurman has indicated that Apple’s device will be built from titanium, mirroring the design of the iPhone Air.
The choice of titanium is significant. Independent durability tests carried out by JerryRigEverything and iFixIt have shown the iPhone Air’s frame to be particularly tough compared to aluminium or stainless steel. A foldable iPhone with similar resilience could help reduce worries about fragile hinges and folding displays.
Repairability considerations
Another area where Apple may stand out is repairability. iFixIt awarded the iPhone Air a score of seven out of ten for repairability, a result that surprised many given Apple’s history of difficult-to-fix devices. If the foldable iPhone were able to achieve anything close to this level, it would mark a major improvement for foldable phones.
By comparison, both Google’s Pixel Fold and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold7 received a repairability score of three, highlighting the challenges consumers face if these devices are damaged. A more repair-friendly foldable from Apple could prove an attractive option for buyers willing to invest in a premium handset.
Although details remain speculative, industry analysts agree that Apple’s first foldable will set new expectations for design, price, and usability in the market. With a possible launch in late 2026, attention is firmly on how the company intends to differentiate its offering from competitors.
