Rumors have swirled for years that Apple has been toiling away on a foldable iPhone, nicknamed the iPhone Fold. Those drips of intel have accelerated over the last year, with numerous leaks suggesting that the device could actually be released in 2026. The latest rumor comes from leaker Sonny Dickson, who whipped up 3D CAD renders of a potential iPhone Fold design that depicted a squat, wide layout similar to the Google Pixel Fold and different from the tall, thin Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.. Design leaks have been scarce, driving curiosity about how Apple’s foldable will look. Recently, an Apple fan made a 3D-printed mock-up for an Apple book-style foldable’s possible design, looking more like a Microsoft Surface Duo merged with an iPhone 17 Pro than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Pixel 10 Pro Fold. In other words, a vision of two separate iPhone screens linked together rather than a continuous, folding display. Given the lack of consensus on layout, any of these designs could end up being correct.. Separate displays are an interesting proposition, considering rumors have spoken of Apple’s efforts to reduce the seam where a foldable screen bends. The one on the iPhone Fold is rumored to have little or no crease, according to a recent report by the Chinese publication UDN. Screen creases, especially on early foldable phones, have long annoyed some consumers and critics. And while the crease on more recent foldables looks a lot less deep, it’s still there. Samsung’s new Galaxy Z TriFold has two screen creases, one for each of its hinges. It would be a major breakthrough if Apple has indeed found a way to fold a screen in half without leaving a crease.. We’ve yet to hear any official word on a foldable iPhone from Apple.. Mock-ups of potential iPhone foldables, including a clamshell “iPhone Flip” on the left and book-style foldable on the right, along with a flat iPhone for comparison on the bottom. Zain bin Awais/CNET. Foldable phones represent a tiny fraction of all phones sold globally. CNET found that 64% of people surveyed said they don’t want a foldable phone. But those numbers could change if Apple were to sell a foldable iPhone. Analysts at IDC forecast a 30% year-over-year growth if Apple were to launch a foldable iPhone in 2026.. Apple launched the iPhone 17 series along with the new super-thin iPhone Air in September. Given all the engineering it took to cram cameras and components into the top half of the Air, some have theorized that the device is a stepping stone to a foldable, which could take advantage of the Air’s internal design.. A lot of hope and expectation has been placed on Apple to release one, and if rumors are correct, we won’t have to wait much longer for the company to do so.. Watch this: iPhone Flip: What Apple’s Foldable Future Could Look Like. iPhone Fold history. Mock-ups of what the iPhone foldables could look like. Zain bin Awais/CNET. Rumors suggest Apple is developing a book-style foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Years ag
