Will Apple’s Creaseless iPhone Fold Be the Most Expensive iPhone Ever Made?
There’s a good chance we’ll get to see the first Foldable iPhone in less than a year. Rumors about the innovative phone suggest Apple design magic in the details, but that fancy folding will probably cost you.
According to a report from Chinese publication UDN, engineers have made “breakthroughs” in creating a “wrinkle-free design” for the iPhone Fold, and the product cycle has now moved beyond the experimental stage and into pre-mass production mode. The Fold could launch in September 2026.
But you’ll probably pay a lot for wrinkle-free iPhone screen. Another report from Fubon Research states that the iPhone Fold could cost up to $2,399, which would make it the most expensive foldable smartphone on the market, higher than the Google Pixel 10 Pro foldable, Samsung Galaxy Flip 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Motorola Razr Ultra And Motorola Razrall of which range between $700 and $2,000.
Financial services company UBS has a more modest estimate for the iPhone Fold. The bank’s analysts predict the cost will be between $1,800 and $2,000. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The early reported price of $2,400 could be a major blow, as could the Fold’s potentially game-changing design quality. The market has continued to grow since the first foldable phone was launched in 2018and no one has yet succeeded in making one that does not show a crease after several folds. THE OnePlus Open has the least visible crease of all the foldables, and there’s even a subreddit extolling the virtues of its nearly crease-free nature. But a fold remains a fold.
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“2026 is the year of foldables,” said Jessica Naziri, tech-focused content creator designed for women at TechSesh.co. “We’ve been begging our phones to behave like laptops, and this brings us a lot closer to that reality,” Naziri told CNET.
“If Apple does it, you know it will be good. Between the iPhone Air and the next foldable, it’s nice to finally see Apple trying new form factors,” Naziri added. Despite the high price, she believes consumers will continue to buy. “Obviously, this technical feat should come with a hefty price tag, and people will find a way to save and pay for it,” she said.
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Wrinkle-free comes at a cost
The UDN report states that teams from Apple, NewRixing and Amphenol collaborated on key component bearings to prevent the iPhone Fold from exhibiting creases. These teams used high-strength liquid metal hinge component technology to improve folding durability, according to the report.
The inner screen is developed by Samsung Display, and the panel structure, material handling and lamination are designed by Apple, the report said. Taiwan-based Hon Hai Technology Group has set up a production line where several dozen iPhone Fold devices will initially be manufactured for testing before mass production begins, the report said.
The advanced components and design work, however, resulted in high costs for the consumer. Arthur Liao, an analyst at Fubon Research, said the OLED panel, hinge and lightweight internal components would help increase the price of the iPhone Fold. He also said that RAM prices have increased by 75% over the past year and total material costs could increase by 5-7% in 2026 due to increased demand for chips, memory and storage.
