Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Q4 2026 Arrival? Price, Specs, and Market Competition Analysis

Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Q4 2026 Arrival? Price, Specs, and Market Competition AnalysisOn March 19th, Fast Technology reported that Apple's foldable iPhone is under development. As early as February, a Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" leaked key information, describing the device as having "an outer screen like the Find N (shorter and wider) and an inner screen that unfolds like an iPad

Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Q4 2026 Arrival? Price, Specs, and Market Competition Analysis

On March 19th, Fast Technology reported that Apple's foldable iPhone is under development. As early as February, a Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" leaked key information, describing the device as having "an outer screen like the Find N (shorter and wider) and an inner screen that unfolds like an iPad." While abstract, this sparked considerable attention. While rumors have circulated for some time, when can we expect this highly anticipated product? Multiple analysts predict Apple's first foldable iPhone will enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026. This means we might be able to purchase this historic Apple product by the end of 2026.

For Apple fans, the launch of a foldable iPhone is undoubtedly a landmark event. Looking back at the history of foldable phones, Royole Corporation was the first to enter the market, followed by Huawei's launch of the Mate X in 2019. Chinese brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Honor released their own foldable phones between 2021 and 2023. As a giant in the mobile phone industry, Apple's reported development of a foldable phone only emerged in 2024, seemingly lagging behind its competitors.

Let's delve into the currently available information about Apple's foldable iPhone. It's rumored to adopt a book-style folding design, featuring a titanium alloy body and a stainless steel hinge for durability and lightness. This design has been widely adopted by Chinese phones such as the Huawei Mate X6, vivo XFold 3, and OPPO Find N5. The book-style fold offers a larger screen size, balancing portability and a large-screen experience, but the crease might be more noticeable.

Regarding the screen, leaks suggest a 7.8-inch inner screen and a 5.5-inch outer screen. The folded thickness is expected to be 9-9.5 mm, reducing to 4.5-4.8 mm when unfolded. Compared to the thinnest foldable phone currently available, the OPPO Find N5 (8.93 mm folded, 4.21 mm unfolded at its thinnest point), Apple's foldable iPhone appears slightly thicker.

The imaging system is expected to feature a dual rear camera and a single front camera. To optimize internal space, Apple reportedly plans to remove Face ID, replacing it with a side-mounted Touch ID integrated into the power button. It's worth noting that in March 2024, the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) published an Apple patent for a camera system suitable for foldable devices, allowing cameras to be placed in various locations for multi-angle shooting. However, the final imaging performance remains to be seen until real-world testing.

Regarding price, Barclays analyst Tim Long predicts a starting price of $2299 (approximately 16600) in the US for Apple's first foldable iPhone, almost double the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max ($1199), making it the most expensive iPhone in history. This high price raises questions about its market competitiveness.

Compared to existing Chinese foldable phones, Apple's foldable iPhone doesn't seem to have a clear advantage in terms of thickness or imaging. Some Chinese models have achieved extreme thinness, and their imaging systems generally reach a high standard. Therefore, whether Apple's foldable iPhone can win the market at its high price point remains to be seen. Its core competitiveness may lie in Apple's powerful ecosystem and brand influence, but whether this can offset its relative hardware disadvantages remains to be tested.

The launch of Apple's foldable iPhone will further intensify competition in the foldable phone market. Facing more affordable and, in some aspects, superior Chinese foldable phones, Apple needs to offer significant appeal to attract consumers. The product's ultimate market performance will be a crucial indicator of Apple's competitiveness in the foldable phone arena. Whether consumers are willing to pay a premium for Apple's brand and ecosystem will directly determine the product's market success. In Q4 2026, we'll wait and see. The high price, relatively less advantageous hardware specifications, and strong competition from Chinese brands will all be challenges Apple's foldable iPhone will need to face. Whether Apple can leverage its strong brand influence and comprehensive ecosystem to overcome these challenges and ultimately win the market will be an important issue to watch in the future. The phone's market performance will have a profound impact on the entire foldable phone market.