Apple (AAPL, Financials) is preparing to enter the foldable smartphone market with its first-generation foldable iPhone, expected to launch in late 2026, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a Medium post.

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Industry estimates indicate the gadget might reach $2,500 and have a premium price tag more than $2,000. Leveraging Apple's great brand loyalty and high replacement demand, the foldable model is positioned as a high-end option for consumers.

The foldable iPhone is said to have a book-style look with an exterior screen of around 5.5 inches and a crease-free inside display reaching over 7.8 inches. Touch ID will be included on the gadget via a side button as space restrictions may exclude Face ID. Additionally, part of the design is a front-facing camera useable in both folded and unfolded modes and a dual-lens back camera.

Apple intends to build the casing from titanium alloy while using a stainless steel and titanium alloy hinge. Folded the gadget is expected to measure between 9mm and 9.5mm in thickness and between 4.5mm and 4.8mm when unfurled. It will also make use of highly densified battery cells like to those anticipated in the next iPhone 17.

Mass production starting in the fourth quarter of 2026 is planned to coincide with locked final design specs for the foldable iPhone in the second quarter of 2025. Apple supposedly wants to make between 3 million and 5 million devices in its first year; total foldable iPhone sales might reach 20 million units by 2027 including a second-generation model.

Foldable technology's complexity may restrict early manufacturing numbers, but Apple's arrival into the market marks a more general movement toward AI-driven smartphones, stressing multimodal capability and cross-app connectivity.