Surprising predictions about foldable iPhone

Reliable sources say the foldable iPhone will sell for more than $2,000 but will not have Face ID.

The iPhone Fold could be Apple's most premium phone in the near future. Photo: Ming-Chi Kuo .

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who regularly makes accurate predictions about Apple products and services, has just revealed many important details about the 'iPhone Fold', the foldable screen phone that is expected to reshape the market.

Most interestingly, he agrees with previous rumors, suggesting that the Cupertino giant will introduce a device with a book-like design, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold, instead of folding vertically like the Galaxy Z Flip.

According to Kuo, the iPhone Fold will be a “truly AI-driven” device as Apple will focus on “multimodal functionality and cross-app integration.” With the larger screen, users will be able to “chat with a chatbot about travel plans while simultaneously viewing the entire map app.”

The analyst believes that Touch ID will make a big comeback on the iPhone Fold lineup, but it will be integrated into the side instead of the Home button as before. Meanwhile, equipping Face ID may be difficult due to the thickness and limited internal space.

Ming-Chi Kuo also predicts that this book-style folding device will have a 7.8-inch internal display and a 5.5-inch external display, which matches previous leaks.

The iPhone Fold folds like the Galaxy Z Fold. Photo: BGR.

Apple will focus on a dual-lens setup for the rear camera and a single lens on the front, although the second lens will work both when folded and unfolded. Kuo believes the iPhone Fold will be 9-9.5mm thick when folded and 4.5-4.8mm thick when unfolded. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 12.1mm thick when folded.

In addition, the device has a hinge made of stainless steel and titanium alloy, with a titanium alloy case. The device will use the same new battery, expected to be on the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.

Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the iPhone Fold will cost between $2,000 and $2,500 . The product will "leverage the iPhone's position as a must-have device and Apple's loyal user base, which could create strong demand for upgrades - regardless of the high price - provided the quality meets expectations," he said.

Currently, Apple is focusing on finalizing the specifications of the iPhone Fold in the second quarter of this year. The product development project is officially scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2025 and mass production will begin in late 2026. After that, Apple will prepare for the second generation next year.

Kuo predicts that up to 5 million foldable iPhones will be shipped in 2026 and increase to 20 million units in 2027, when Apple solves the complex production issues after the first generation.