Prime Highlights
- Apple has placed orders for crease-free OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone.
- The phone will release later in 2026, with mass production later in 2025.
Key Facts
- The foldable iPhone will have a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen.
- Apple has placed an order for 7–8 million display panels for the first production.
- Expected retail price will be in the range of $2,000 to $2,500.
Key Background
Apple will join the foldable phone battle with its first foldable iPhone, set for release in the late 2026 window. Industry insiders report the technology company has ordered massive panels from Samsung Display, which boasts of having engineered crease-free OLED tech, signaling a serious move towards large-scale production. The strategic alliance entails Samsung supplying the sole material for Apple’s next-gen foldable phone’s internal and external displays.
Production of the foldable iPhone is expected to begin during the second half of 2025, likely between the third and fourth quarters, by Apple’s veteran manufacturing partner Foxconn. The company is reportedly planning to make about 15 to 20 million units in the first batch, ordering an initial 7 to 8 million OLED panels.
Foldable phone has a 7.8-inch inner screen and a 5.5-inch cover screen, according to reports. Apple is targeting an extremely thin form factor of approximately 4.5 mm when unfolded and less than 10 mm when folded. The construction may feature a titanium-steel alloy frame, and given the design constraints, there might be a side-mounted Touch ID in place of Face ID.
While others’ foldables such as Samsung, Huawei, and Google have been around for years now, Apple has been taking its time, focusing on hardware and user experience perfection. The wait may result in Apple launching an even better and more long-lasting product, with its ultra-thin glass (UTG) technology providing a virtually imperceptible crease—a universal blemish for most of today’s foldables.
The foldable iPhone will be the priciest phone Apple has ever made, with a price tag of $2,000 to $2,500. Even at that cost, however, Apple is going to attract tech fans and early adopters who will pay for premium innovation. Analysts believe that the move into foldables by Apple will be a game-changer and popularize the form factor, taking the category into a new growth phase.
Apple is also sealing up the specifics like hinge design and software optimization particular to folding use. But all indications are towards a real and intentional desire to restructure the iPhone once more.
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