James, I don't think you would be able to hold the phone with one hand, that is if the phone is unfolded. I am trying to figure out how would one hold this phone to their ear to talk on it. I just can't imagine that. I am wondering if the speaker on the phone would be on the outside, so one would be able to talk on it during a phone call, but I'm having a hard time trying to imagine this!
Kindly, Janet. From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Friday, July 10, 2026 10:17 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Apple's first foldable iPhone! I'm wondering how well this phone will fit in only one hand? James B From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> On Behalf Of janet gross Sent: Friday, July 10, 2026 9:12 AM To: 'Kimberly Samco' via VIPhone <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: Apple's first foldable iPhone! Good Morning Everyone, I was just reading about Apple's new foldable phone, and I thought I would share for those who might be interested, so I copied and pasted it below. So, let's get our check books out for this one! This sounds quite interesting, can you imagine the price? No face ID, back to touch ID, I know some will like this switch! sApple's first foldable iPhone, expected September 2026. By MacRumors Staff on July 6, 2026 iPhone Fold At a Glance Apple is going to launch its first foldable iPhone as part of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. Featuring a ~5.5-inch display when closed, and a ~7.8-inch display when open, plus a super thin design with minimal crease and a durable hinge. Rumored Features Book-style fold 4:3 aspect ratio ~5.5 inches closed, ~7.8 inches open Titanium and aluminum frame Nearly invisible crease Touch ID instead of Face ID A20 Chip, 12GB RAM $2,000+ price tag Roundup Last Updated 4 days ago iPhone Fold Contents iPhone Fold Foldable iPhone Design Minimal Crease Hinge Design Design Mockups Cases Foldable iPhone Colors Repairability No Face ID iOS 27 Foldable iPhone Hints A20 Chip RAM Foldable iPhone Cameras Modem No SIM Slot Battery Naming iOS Updates Pricing Launch Date Other Apple Foldable Rumors Apple's Second Foldable iPhone iPhone Fold Timeline Apple has been working on a foldable iPhone for more than a decade, and we've been hearing rumors about foldables for at least that long. It's finally time for an iPhone with a folding mechanism to launch, and we're expecting the first foldable iPhone to come out before the end of the year. The foldable iPhone will be part of the fall 2026 iPhone lineup. It will be introduced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, and it could launch in the same timeframe. Some rumors suggest it will launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, while others indicate it will come slightly later, perhaps in October, due to manufacturing issues. We aren't sure what Apple plans to call the foldable iPhone, but rumors have referred to it as either the "iPhone Fold" or the "iPhone Ultra." Since Samsung calls its smartphone the Galaxy Fold, it's unlikely Apple will actually refer to the device as the iPhone Fold. Apple decided on a book-style foldable design that's wider than it is tall, which will make it unique among foldable smartphones. Most foldable smartphones are taller than they are wide, but the foldable iPhone is rumored to have a 4:3 aspect ratio like an iPad. Apple designed the foldable iPhone to have the same feel as an iPad, and when unfolded, it will have an OLED display that's close to the size of an iPad mini. It will look like a hybrid between an iPhone and an iPad, with iPad-like functionality and some iPad-like interface options when unfolded. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says it will be the "most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history." The iPhone Fold will be around 5.5 inches when it's closed, and 7.8 inches when it's open, making it just a bit smaller than the 8.3-inch iPad mini. It's supposedly going to be as thin as 4.5mm, which would make it Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. The current thinnest iPhone is the iPhone Air at 5.6mm thick, so an iPhone that's even thinner would be an impressive feat. Apple is using a titanium chassis for durability because the foldable will be so thin, and the company spent time making a durable hinge and a display that's close to crease-free. Many foldables on the market have a highly visible crease in the middle, and Apple wanted to minimize the crease as much as possible. Keeping the crease almost invisible is one of the reasons why it took Apple so long to launch a folding iPhone. With such a thin chassis, Apple has to compromise in some areas. The iPhone Fold will have two rear cameras instead of three. It will have a Wide lens and an Ultra Wide lens much like the standard iPhone models, but it will not have the Telephoto lens that Apple uses for its Pro devices because there simply isn't room for it. Apple also didn't have space for the TrueDepth camera system, which means we're going back to Touch ID. Rumors suggest the foldable iPhone will have a Touch ID power button similar to the Touch ID power button on Apple's iPads. There will be no Face ID and no facial recognition for unlocking the device. A foldable iPhone won't be cheap, and rumors suggest that it's going to be priced starting at over $2,000. It will be the most expensive iPhone in the 2026 lineup, and the most expensive iPhone to date. Foldable iPhone Design Apple tested several fold styles and device sizes, including smartphones with a middle fold that opens horizontally into an iPad-sized device and a clamshell design that folds in half vertically. Apple went with the book-style foldable that will have an outer display and camera that can be used when the iPhone is closed, and a larger, inner display that offers more screen space. Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen Rumors suggest the foldable iPhone will have a frame made from titanium and aluminum. Apple could use titanium for the stress-bearing parts of the frame to ensure that it doesn't bend, and aluminum in other areas for heat dissipation and to keep weight low. Current rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone will feature a display that's around 5.5 inches when it's folded in half, and a larger 7.8-inch iPad-like display when it's opened up. The iPhone Fold could be around 4.5mm when it is open, and 9mm to 9.5mm when it is closed. If it is 4.5mm when open, the foldable iPhone will be Apple's thinnest device by far. That title is currently held by the 13-inch iPad Pro, which is 5.1mm thick. Some rumors suggest it will be a few millimeters thicker, but it is expected to be thinner than current iPhones. One analyst, Jeff Pu, believes Apple could be working on not one, but two foldable iPhones, in different 7.9-inch and 8.3-inch sizes, but no other rumors have backed up this claim. According to one leaker, the inner (unfolded) display will measure in at 7.76 inches with a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, while the outer display (folded) will measure in at 5.49 inches with a 2,088 x 1,422 resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Another leaker has suggested it will have a 7.6-inch display size when unfolded. Minimal Crease The 2026 foldable iPhone reportedly has no visible crease, a problem that affects most foldable devices on the market. Apple is said to have pursued eliminating the crease "regardless of cost," and the company has developed a "new material property" that makes the crease disappear. The crease has been described as "nearly invisible" when the iPhone is unfolded. samsung z fold 3 half folded Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold One of the reasons that Apple waited so long to release a foldable iPhone is because it struggled to make a device that did not have a visible crease, but it may be a problem that has now been largely solved given the uptick in rumors. Apple is planning to use ultra-thin glass for the foldable iPhone, and Chinese manufacturer Lens Technology could be Apple's primary glass supplier. Corning is likely to provide the raw materials to Lens Technology, with Apple choosing the supplier because of its expertise in glass strengthening and minimizing side cracks after cutting. The foldable iPhone will use a new type of display panel created by Samsung, using a custom display process that Apple has the trademark for. The process includes integrating touch sensors directly into the display panel, reducing overall thickness by approximately 19 percent. The engineering advancement brings a lighter build and a more rigid display structure, and the display meets Apple's requirements for thinness, power efficiency, and brightness. Apple could use a structural glass mid-frame to minimize the visible display crease in the fold, while applying a color filter-on-encapsulation layer together with a circular polarizer module to improve color purity and light transmission. Advances in optically clear adhesive (OCA) have been important in Apple's quest to minimize the visible crease in the iPhone Fold. Very subtle shifts in alignment of the display panel components can cause micro-cracks or deformation, leading to a visible crease. OCA formulations stay pliable during gradual bending, and can flow into microscopic irregularities to reduce light scattering and the visibility of the crease. Leakers suggest the iPhone Fold will have a crease depth that's under 0.15mm, which is shallow and should be less noticeable to the eye and to the touch than a crease that is deeper. The crease angle is under 2.5 degrees. The crease angle describes how sharp the fold line appears when the display is unfolded. A smaller angle suggests a smoother, flatter transition across the fold. Smartphone makers like Samsung do not publish details on crease measurements, so it is difficult to compare Apple's crease design rumors to existing foldable devices. Hinge Design To minimize the crease in the display, Apple plans to use liquid metal for the iPhone's hinge, which will improve durability. This is one technique that might allow Apple to get rid of the crease that has plagued other foldable smartphones. Apple's hinge will be higher quality than hinges used for other foldable smartphones. Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search Liquid metal, or amorphous metal, has a structure that is more resistant to bending, deformation, and denting than traditional metal. Its properties are derived from the manufacturing method, which involves rapid heating and cooling. Its structure makes it tougher than titanium alloy, and it has a stainless steel look. Apple may also use a combination of titanium and stainless steel for the hinge. Apple is allegedly running into issues with the foldable iPhone's hinge, but the problem isn't expected to impact launch timing. The hinge is failing to meet Apple's quality control standards under prolonged, high-frequency opening and closing. Design Mockups A 3D printed mockup version of the iPhone Fold provides an idea of what the device will look like. The mockup isn't spot on because we don't know Apple's exact specifications for the iPhone Fold as of yet, but it is in line with multiple rumors that we've heard at ~7.6 to 7.8 inches when open and 5.5 inches when closed. It's smaller than the iPad mini, but it will have the largest display of an iPhone to date. It's rumored to have a 4:3 aspect ratio, and it will be short and wide, featuring a book-like form factor. The first alleged iPhone Fold dummy model came out in early April, and more images followed later in the month. We don't know if these images are reflective of the iPhone Fold's actual design, but they have all of the design features that have been rumored, along with the right sizing. sonny dickson iphone 18 fold dummy models There is a raised camera bump that does not span across the entire back of the device, which is expected. It has a two-lens camera system, and a thin chassis. foldable iphone dummy modelImage via Vadim Yuryev. The dummy models show no signs of an Action Button or a MagSafe magnetic ring for charging purposes, so it's possible these features will be missing due to the thinness of the device. We're also not expecting a SIM slot, much like the iPhone Air. Dummy models give us the clearest look at what the foldable iPhone will look like so far, and they are often accurate and based on leaked CAD information from Apple suppliers. foldable iphone dummy sonny dickson Cases The first leaked cases for the foldable iPhone have a split design with a bar-shaped camera cutout for the dual cameras. There's a circular area for MagSafe magnets, and a cutout for the Camera Control button. iphone ultra case Case makers often start producing accessories ahead of an iPhone announcement to be the first with a case available. Apple doesn't give manufacturers a heads up on iPhone design, so they use CAD renders and leaked info from Apple suppliers. Designs are speculative, but it's a big money business and the leaks often turn out to be accurate. iphone ultra case 2 Foldable iPhone Colors Apple is said to be planning to "stay away from fun colors" and stick to more traditional space gray/black and silver/white finishes for the iPhone Fold. One rumor has described the darker color as a shade of indigo rather than black. The color is said to be similar to the iPhone 17 Pro's Deep Blue finish. The Deep Blue color is one of the darker blues that Apple has debuted, but it is clearly a blue shade and not black. Another rumor suggests there might not be a black color. A leaked image allegedly depicts the lighter color option for the foldable iPhone. iphone fold ultra leak@2x scaled Repairability The foldable iPhone will reportedly have a design that makes it easier to repair than other foldable smartphones on the market. Chinese leaker Instant Digital said Apple used "rigorous underlying engineering logic" with a modular design that eliminates the internal ribbon cable routing that often complicates competing foldables. Apple put the motherboard on the right side of the device, and the cables for the volume buttons run upward instead of across the back of the display to maximize internal space. Apple is said to be using an innovative stacked design that dedicates almost all space to the display and battery. No Face ID Because the iPhone Fold is so thin, there isn't room for a TrueDepth camera system. It won't use Face ID, and will instead have a Touch ID side button, similar to an iPad. There will be a front-facing hole punch camera for both the inner and outer displays for selfies, but unlocking the iPhone biometrically will be done with Touch ID. iOS 27 Foldable iPhone Hints Apple seems to be preparing for a foldable iPhone in iOS 27, and there are new references to a foldable in the operating system's frameworks. Apple has also been emphasizing flexible app layouts that would be useful for a foldable device. Apple told developers to move away from designing apps for specific devices and fixed orientations, and to instead target a "dynamic range of sizes and aspect ratios." iOS 27 adds support for resizable iOS apps in iPhone Mirroring and on the iPad, and apps in iOS 27 will be automatically opted in to resizability. Developers have been asked to treat every iOS app as something that may need to be used in a variety of form factors. iOS 27 frameworks include mentions of "foldState" and "angleDegrees," further hinting at a foldable device. There's also a new key that returns the total count of built-in displays on a device, which would only be necessary if a device had more than one display. A20 Chip The foldable iPhone will use Apple's A20 chip, built on TSMC's 2nm process. The transition to 2nm will allow for more transistors in each chip, which will boost performance. The A20 chips could be up to 15 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than A19 chips. Apple is also expected to use TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) chip packaging technology. WMCM will see RAM directly integrated on the chip's wafer with the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. Incorporating RAM this way could bring faster performance for overall tasks, better thermal management, and improved Apple Intelligence. Apple will use vapor chamber cooling for the foldable iPhone even though it's a technique that makes manufacturing difficult. Vapor chamber cooling circulates deionized water to move heat away from the chip inside, distributing the heat throughout the iPhone frame. Apple already uses vapor chamber cooling in the iPhone 17 Pro. RAM The iPhone Fold is expected to feature 12GB RAM. Foldable iPhone Cameras The foldable iPhone could have an under-display camera for the interior of the device, with a single hole punch camera for the exterior when it's folded up. The under-display camera is not expected to feature Face ID, with Apple instead adopting Touch ID. The camera could have a 24-megapixel resolution, which would be an industry first. Some Android devices use under-display cameras, but not at that high resolution. The foldable iPhone rear camera setup will have a Main lens and an Ultra Wide lens with no Telephoto lens. Rumors suggest that both lenses will be 48 megapixels, which isn't too surprising because current iPhone models have 48-megapixel lenses. All-in-all, the foldable iPhone is expected to include four total cameras. Modem The foldable iPhone is expected to include Apple's second-generation C2 modem, a successor to the C1X modem. The C2 will be on par with Qualcomm's modems, and it will support mmWave 5G, unlike the C1 and C1X. The C2 modem will support a privacy-focused Limit Precise Location setting that cuts down on the location data that's available to mobile networks. Networks will not be able to determine exact location with the option, so instead of seeing location down to an address, carriers might instead see the neighborhood where a device is located. Not all carriers have opted in to Limit Precise Location, but the expansion of Apple-designed modems to all iPhones could push networks to add the feature to lure customers. Apple's C2 modem could add support for 5G satellite connectivity, allowing Apple to use NR-NTN, or New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks. The NR-NTN standard can relate to direct phone-to-satellite links as well as the use of satellites as backhaul for carrier networks to extend coverage into remote areas. The addition could allow the foldable iPhone to offer full internet access over satellite, supplementing 5G networks for increased coverage when standard networks are unavailable. Apple is planning to allow third-party apps to access a satellite connection, plus Apple Maps and the Photos app could work over satellite. No SIM Slot Apple's foldable iPhone won't have a SIM slot and will instead use eSIM, much like the iPhone Air. Battery Apple worked to increase the power efficiency of its first foldable display in an effort to maximize battery life, and rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone will have decent battery life despite a thin size. Apple reduced the display driver integrated circuit (IC) from 28nm to 16nm, which could lead to battery savings. Apple plans to use high-density battery cells for the foldable iPhone. The foldable iPhone could have a battery in the 5,400 to 5,800 mAh range, which would make it the largest battery capacity that Apple has used in an iPhone. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the current largest battery at 5,088 mAh. Naming A few rumors have claimed that Apple will call its foldable iPhone the "iPhone Ultra," including Macworld. The iPhone Ultra reportedly won't have "18" numbering like the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. During the rumor cycle, sites have taken to calling the new iPhone the iPhone Fold, but it's unlikely Apple will actually use that name. Samsung already has the Galaxy Fold, and that would be too similar for Apple's tastes. Apple already uses the Ultra naming for the Apple Watch and for the version of CarPlay that more deeply integrates with in-car systems. iOS Updates The foldable iPhone will allegedly have a display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, much like the iPad. Since the display will be close to the iPad mini in size, the foldable iPhone is going to be able to run two apps side-by-side for the first time, with a simplified version of multitasking available. iOS 27 Mock Quick Apple is updating iOS to accommodate the larger iPhone Fold display, and in addition to being able to use two apps at once, the iPhone Fold apps will also have sidebars on the left, similar to iPadOS. Though Apple is making some iPad-like updates to iOS for the iPhone Fold, it's not going to run iPadOS and it won't support iPad apps. Apple does plan to make APIs that will make it easy for developers to transition their apps to an iPhone Fold layout. Pricing Apple's first foldable iPhone could cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple's foldable iPhone will be priced somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also suggested a similar price range. UBS analysts believe Apple will price it between $1,800 and $2,000, and Fubon Research says it will cost $2,400. IDC believes the average selling price will be $2,500, with some models priced at up to $3,000. The iPhone Fold will have three storage options, including 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. One rumor suggests that approximate pricing could be as follows: 256GB - ~$2,320 512GB - ~$2,610 1TB - ~$2,900 Launch Date We've heard back and forth rumors on release timing. Some rumors have suggested the iPhone Fold will be delayed past September because of late stage production issues, while others suggest it's on time for a September launch. Apple could introduce the foldable iPhone in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and then launch pre-orders at a later date. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will use the delayed launch strategy that it used for the iPhone X in 2017. Manufacturing challenges have apparently limited early production of the foldable device, so there could be a delayed debut. If the iPhone Fold does launch in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, it's likely it will be in short supply. Reports agree that the device is complex and manufacturing isn't smooth sailing, so it could be hard to get when it first debuts. Other Apple Foldable Rumors Along with a foldable iPhone, rumors suggest that Apple is exploring other foldable devices, including iPads and MacBooks that have foldable OLED displays. Initial rumors suggested that Apple would unveil a foldable iPad or Mac before a foldable iPhone, but now it sounds like the foldable iPhone is coming first. https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/05/foldable-iphone-to-repeat-iphone-x-story/ -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. 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