Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That would be a major leap over existing Android foldables, which typically use lower-resolution under-screen cameras of 4 or 8 megapixels. If the leak is accurate, the quality bump suggests Apple has achieved a breakthrough in light transmittance and image clarity that has eluded other manufacturers.
As for the display itself, all the indications suggest Apple has solved "the crease problem" that has plagued most foldable smartphones. Apple is said to have worked intensively on the hinge and display to minimize creasing, and the latest report from Chinese site UDN claims the foldable iPhone will be the first crease-free foldable on the market.
On the battery front, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the device will use high-density battery cells, and Korean sources indicate Apple is testing capacities in the 5,400–5,800 mAh range, while Chinese leaker Instant Digital has today claimed the final capacity will "definitely" exceed 5,000 mAh. That means it could be the largest battery ever fitted to an iPhone, surpassing even the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 5,088 mAh cell.
For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 packs a 4,400 mAh battery, while the Google Pixel Fold achieves 4,821 mAh. The Honor Magic V5 manages 5,820 mAh using silicon-carbon technology, but the vivo X Fold 5 boasts 6,000 mAh, which is currently the largest in its class.
Multiple sources agree the foldable iPhone will include a 7.8-inch main display when unfolded, a 5.5-inch cover display, and Touch ID rather than Face ID. The device will feature four cameras in total: one front hole-punch camera, the aforementioned under-screen inner camera, and a dual-lens 48-megapixel rear system.
Multiple reports have suggested the foldable iPhone will be priced between $2,000 and $2,500 in the United States, which could make it the most expensive iPhone ever. Apple will allegedly call the device the "iPhone Fold," which is the name the media has already adopted when describing the product.
