Multiple recent reports say the first-gen foldable iPhone is less than two years away from hitting store shelves. Reliable sources point to 2026 as the likeliest release window for Apple’s debut foldable handset.
Not only that, but rumors also claim that Apple has chosen the design of the first foldable iPhone it wants to make. Instead of going for the clamshell design (“Flip” style), which most people buy when it comes to Android foldables, Apple will reportedly make a Fold-style iPhone, which is a foldable that becomes a tablet when unfolded.
Now, we’ve learned that the foldable iPhone might be about as big as a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, with a leaker providing purported display sizes for Apple’s device.
Citing Meritz Securities, Jukanlosreve says the foldable iPhone will feature an in-folding design. That means the foldable display panel will be on the inside, just like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold phones. Other Fold-type foldables can have a foldable screen on the outside, but that exposes the display to damage.
The foldable iPhone should have a wider aspect ratio than the Galaxy Z Fold. If true, that’s an advantage for the iPhone, as it’ll make it easier to operate when folded.
As for actual screen sizes, the report says the foldable iPhone will feature a main display measuring between 7.6 and 7.9 inches. The cover screen will measure between 5.3 and 5.5 inches.
If these figures are accurate, the foldable screen will be about as big as the one currently found on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (7.6 inches). But Samsung’s phone has a much larger 6.3-inch display on the outside. Either the figures the report offers are off by a wide margin, or Apple might be going for a different external design than Samsung.
The leak makes no mention of the screen crease. I’d expect Apple’s foldable iPhone to correct this design issue with current foldables. After all, Samsung seems to have done so with the limited edition Galaxy Z Fold SE. The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 will inherit that design, and hopefully, Samsung will continue to reduce crease visibility.
Speaking of the Korean giant, the report says that Samsung will be the exclusive manufacturer of the first-gen foldable iPhone displays. The screens will feature LTPO, CoE, and UTG technologies. That’s Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide, which lets Apple offer dynamic refresh rates on iPhone (1-120Hz) and improve battery life; Color on Encapsulation tech, which improves display durability while reducing thickness and weight; and Ultra Thin Glass, which is a glass cover for the screen.
Samsung is the obvious choice for foldable screen supply. The company has been making foldable phones for years, learning from mistakes and iterating on its designs. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 offer great displays and significantly improved durability compared to earlier generations. By the time the foldable iPhone launches, Samsung will reach the eighth generation of Flip and Fold foldable phones.
The report goes on to say that Chinese display maker BOE will join Apple’s supply chain in 2028. BOE also has experience in making foldable displays.
LG Display will supposedly be involved in manufacturing larger foldable screens for Apple. The report mentions the 18.8-inch foldable Mac/iPad that appeared in other rumors. However, Apple might delay the foldable tablet because of the lackluster performance of the OLED iPad Pros launched last summer.
In a follow-up tweet, the leaker said it’s “80% confirmed” that Apple will launch the foldable iPhone in 2026. Obviously, there’s no way to know for certain. But if Apple is set to launch a foldable iPhone next year, it’s already developing it alongside other iPhone 18 flavors. It’s a matter of months until we’ll have more meaningful leaks detailing the foldable handset.
