Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone is shaping up to be a pretty bold departure from the usual suspects in the foldable phone market. Recent leaks suggest the device, likely called something like iPhone Fold, will launch around September 2026 and come with a surprisingly small outer display-around 5.3 to 5.5 inches when closed. That's actually tinier than the old iPhone mini screens, which Apple ditched years ago because they didn't sell well.
The real twist, though, is what happens when you unfold it. You get a 7.7 to 7.8-inch inner screen with a roughly 4:3 aspect ratio, much closer to the squarish proportions of an iPad than the tall, skinny displays on most current foldables like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series. This isn't just a random choice. Apple seems to be betting big on making the unfolded state the main way people will actually use the phone-turning it into a super-portable mini-tablet rather than just a bigger phone.
By going for that wider, more tablet-like inner display, Apple wants to make it dead simple to bring over tons of existing iPad apps without messy stretching or awkward black bars. Apps should fill the screen naturally, whether you're multitasking, reading documents, editing photos, or watching content. The idea is to prioritize a smooth, premium inner screen experience over having a super-convenient large outer cover screen for one-handed use, which is what most competitors focus on (their outer screens are usually 6 inches or bigger and taller).
This approach definitely stands out in today's foldable scene, where the norm is a long, narrow outer display for quick tasks and a taller inner one when opened. Apple's going the opposite direction, almost like they're trying to redefine what a foldable should feel like-less of a compromise phone, more of a hybrid device where the big screen is the star.
On the tech side, the phone is rumored to feature a liquid metal hinge that helps deliver an almost crease-free folding display, which has been one of the biggest pain points for foldables so far. We're talking about advanced flexible substrates here-probably high-end polyimide-based ones paired with ultra-thin materials-to keep everything slim and durable. While the industry has mostly moved toward flexible OLED panels for foldables (thanks to their self-emissive pixels and natural bendability), Apple's push for minimal creasing could influence broader foldable display advancements, including better stress distribution across the panel.
Of course, all this innovation doesn't come cheap. Early estimates put the price tag somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, which would make it Apple's most expensive iPhone ever by a pretty wide margin.
Apple hasn't confirmed any of this yet, so take the details with a grain of salt-but if the leaks hold up, the iPhone Fold could shake up how we think about foldable phones. Instead of trying to beat everyone at their own game, Apple is playing by its own rules: make the inner experience so good that people won't mind unfolding it all the time. Whether that gamble pays off in a market still figuring out foldables remains to be seen, but it's definitely going to be interesting to watch in 2026.
