Based on our coverage of foldable development since 2019, Apple’s two-year delay as competitors rushed to market follows its typical “first-to-market, perfect execution” strategy. Let’s look at the five innovative features that could make Apple’s first foldable device the device that finally makes foldable devices mainstream.
The holy grail: a virtually wrinkle-free screen
Here’s what separates Apple from the rest: They’ve apparently cracked the code on the biggest foldable frustration. Apple has worked with Samsung Display to create a display that doesn’t visibly crease, and early reports suggest the foldable iPhone will have a “nearly invisible” crease when unfolded. According to ETNews, “Apple has decided to eliminate the fold at all costs, regardless of price, to differentiate its foldable phone from existing models.”
The magic apparently lies in the new material properties that Samsung Display has developed exclusively for Apple. Samsung Display is expected to be the exclusive supplier of OLED panels, overtaking LG Display and BOE thanks to Samsung’s “technological advantage in minimizing screen wrinkles.” This custom display process will grant Apple trademark rights and meet its strict requirements for thinness, energy efficiency, and brightness.
Having tested every major foldable, from Samsung’s Z Fold series to Google’s Pixel Fold, the creasing issue isn’t just aesthetic: it creates a tactile disruption that breaks the illusion of a unified display. Samsung has achieved this advance in thinness by integrating the touch sensor directly into the display panel, reducing the overall thickness by approximately 19% compared to the current Galaxy Z Fold components. This integration doesn’t just reduce thickness: it fundamentally changes the screen’s responsiveness to touch, potentially matching the iPhone’s normal responsiveness for the first time in a foldable model.
Think of it as Apple’s answer to every Galaxy Z Fold owner who’s ever grimaced at that permanent line running across their screen. Great, but it’s not $2,500 if there’s a visible crease, which is exactly why Apple won’t ship until they’ve fixed it.
Premium titanium construction is combined with an aerospace-grade hinge
Apple is betting on materials that scream “premium device.” The iPhone Fold will feature a titanium alloy casing with a hinge made of a combination of stainless steel and titanium alloy. But here’s where it gets interesting: Early reports suggest that the foldable iPhone will use a hinge mechanism from US firm Amphenol, and Apple was granted patents on the technology in 2024.
The build will be remarkably thin: just 4.5mm when unfolded and between 9mm and 9.5mm when folded. To put that into perspective, the iPhone 15 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so we’re talking about a foldable phone that’s almost as thin as a regular iPhone when opened. The device will reportedly feature a liquid metal hinge and Hon Hai is expected to handle initial assembly, with Luxshare as a secondary partner.
The choice of aerospace-grade titanium suggests that Apple is targeting professional users who need devices that can withstand constant folding in demanding environments: think medical professionals switching between patient records or designers switching between sketch and presentation modes. The choice of liquid metal hinge is particularly notable: this amorphous metal alloy offers shape memory properties that could allow self-correcting hinge alignment over time, addressing one of the biggest durability concerns in current foldables.
PRO TIP: If you’re worried about durability, remember that Apple’s titanium iPhone 15 Pro has proven to be surprisingly robust. Expect similar drop protection, but with the added complexity of moving parts rated for potentially hundreds of thousands of bends by industry standards.
Dual screen experience: 7.8-inch inside, 5.5-inch outside
The iPhone Fold has a book-style design – think Galaxy Z Fold instead of Galaxy Z Flip. Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the device will feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, with both displays offering what leakers call “unprecedented aspect ratios.” The interior screen will be similar to the screen size of the iPad mini, while the exterior screen will maintain that familiar iPhone feel.
When the device is folded, users will interact with the 5.5-inch outer display that is similar to a typical iPhone screen, while unfolding it reveals the larger 7.8-inch iPad-style display with a punch-hole camera. The iPhone Fold will offer an aspect ratio close to 4:3 according to supply chain leaks, making it perfect for productivity and media consumption tasks.
What’s particularly smart is how Apple positions itself to take advantage of this dual-screen setup. The device will be marketed as a “true AI-powered phone,” and the larger screens will allow for a better AI multitasking experience. The potential of dual-screen AI workflow extends beyond simple multitasking: imagine Siri operating contextually on both screens, with voice commands triggering actions on the outer screen while maintaining privacy on the inner screen, or intelligence functions that use the outer screen for quick interactions while performing complex tasks on the main screen.
This combination of sizes creates unique workflow possibilities that current foldable devices haven’t fully explored: the outer screen handles quick interactions and notifications, while the inner screen becomes your dedicated workspace, essentially giving you an iPhone and iPad mini that share the same brain.
Touch ID returns (Face ID gets the boot)
Here’s a surprise twist: Face ID won’t be enough. Apple is using Touch ID built into the side button to save internal space, marking the return of fingerprint authentication to flagship iPhones. Face ID may be absent due to thickness and internal space limitations, as the device measures just 4.5mm when unfolded.
This isn’t necessarily a downgrade: Many users loved Touch ID, and the side-mount implementation (like on the iPad Air) actually works faster than Face ID in many scenarios. Additionally, the device will have two rear cameras and one front camera for both the folded and unfolded states, so you won’t lose camera functionality.
The authentication change reflects Apple’s recognition that foldable devices create unique user interaction patterns: You’re not just unlocking a phone, you’re switching between device modes, often while multitasking. Touch ID becomes more convenient when you’re constantly switching between folded and unfolded states, where the position of the Face ID camera can be awkward or inconsistent.
The trick? You will need to retrain your muscle memory. But given space limitations and Apple’s focus on making it as thin as possible, this trade-off makes sense and could actually improve the user experience for device transitions.
High-density battery powers the future
Battery life has been the Achilles heel of foldable devices: all that screen space requires a lot of power. Apple’s solution involves a high-density battery designed specifically for the foldable form factor. While the exact capacity has not been revealed, Apple’s approach to battery optimization suggests they are prioritizing efficiency over raw mAh figures.
The 19% thickness reduction thanks to Samsung’s integrated display technology creates a cascading effect, enabling battery optimization and thermal management impossible on current foldable devices. Samsung Display panels use integrated touch sensors that reduce the overall thickness by approximately 19% compared to the current Galaxy Z Fold components, leaving more room for battery cells in the limited space.
Based on our extensive testing of current foldable devices, battery life typically drops by 20-30% when using the larger screen continuously compared to the outer screen. The thermal management challenge becomes even more complex when you consider that the device needs to maintain constant performance in both the folded and unfolded states, essentially optimizing two different heat dissipation profiles simultaneously.
Apple’s track record in battery optimization, from the M-series chips to the iPhone 15 Pro’s efficiency gains, suggests they’ll squeeze impressive life out of any capacity they can. The real test will be whether it can handle that huge 7.8-inch screen without needing constant charging breaks during high productivity sessions.
The foldable future is coming (at a higher price)
Bottom line: Apple’s first foldable iPhone represents everything the company does best: taking existing technology and perfecting it until it truly works perfectly. The iPhone Fold is expected to start at between $2,000 and $2,400, making it Apple’s most expensive phone to date. Initial production volumes are expected to be limited, ranging between 10 and 15 million units for the first wave.
The global foldable smartphone market has shown signs of fatigue, with growth slowing and even a decline projected by 2025. But Apple’s early entry in 2026 is expected to further accelerate widespread adoption and innovation – exactly what happened when the iPhone legitimized touchscreen smartphones.
Our analysis of current foldable prices suggests that Apple’s $2,000-2,400 range positions them as premium but not prohibitively expensive compared to Galaxy Z Fold Pro models that reach similar prices. The difference will be in the execution: If Apple’s wrinkle-free display, premium titanium construction, and refined user experience live up to their promises, the iPhone Fold could be the device that finally makes foldable devices feel less like expensive experiments and more like the future of mobile computing.
The question isn’t whether Apple will deliver, but whether you’re willing to pay premium prices to be part of that future and whether the gains in professional productivity justify treating your phone as a foldable computer rather than simply a communications device.