According to one analyst, the Cupertino giant’s foldable device may still arrive before 2027 – but only just.
Barclays analyst Tim Long noted that Apple will likely only be able to release the iPhone Fold in December. During a recent earnings call, Tim Cook identified capacity shortages at TSMC on advanced manufacturing nodes and disruptions in the memory market as key concerns. The delayed rollout of the iPhone Fold could be part of a phased launch strategy aimed at managing the limited supply of the next-generation A20 Pro chip, which is also expected to power the iPhone 18 Pro duo. Long complicates his own forecast a bit further by suggesting that Apple could launch either the iPhone Air 2 or the iPhone 18 Plus alongside the base-model iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e in March 2027. This is the first time we have heard about the iPhone 18 Plus.
The fold in the iPhone Fold is said to have a depth of just 0.15 mm. That would likely require extensive use of ultra-thin flexible glass technology, which Apple has reportedly tested heavily, along with a modified liquid-metal hinge mechanism. At the same time, Apple is apparently targeting a starting price of around $2,000, which would represent a notable drop from the previously rumored $2,300-$2,400 range. That came after Bloomberg editor Mark Gurman recently said that the iOS version running on the iPhone Fold will be the first to offer an iPad-like layout and side-by-side apps, which should increase the device’s appeal for multitasking, albeit with a simpler system than the more desktop-like interface introduced in iPadOS 26.
The inner display is expected to be iPad-sized with a wider aspect ratio, while the outer panel will resemble the display of a smaller iPhone. That lines up with earlier rumors suggesting the device will have a wide, passport-like design. According to Gurman, the iPhone Fold’s outer display will feature a small hole through which the Dynamic Island interface will appear for notifications. Apple has also reportedly removed Face ID entirely, replacing it with Touch ID integrated into the side button.
As for the inner display, although Apple is still experimenting with an under-display camera, ongoing tests have reportedly produced poor-quality images, dramatically reducing the chances that the technology will make it into production-ready iPhone Fold units. The device is also expected to feature a dual rear camera setup, with earlier rumors pointing to 48 MP sensors for both cameras. Apple is said to be planning a color filter on encapsulation for the protective layer of the iPhone Fold’s OLED panel, which should make the display brighter and more power-efficient.
Additional details include a dedicated vapor chamber, a 2713×1920 resolution with a 4:3 aspect ratio, side-mounted Touch ID instead of Face ID, an A20 Pro SoC, 12 GB of RAM, a proprietary C2 5G modem, a dual rear camera system with 48 MP sensors, a selfie camera of up to 24 MP, a 5400-5800 mAh battery, and exclusive support for eSIM.
