Apple has spent years watching the rest of the smartphone industry fold screens in half, now it appears ready to join them. If the rumors hold, the foldable will easily be the most consequential iPhone announcement in years.

Samsung has been iterating on foldable phones since 2019. Google, Motorola, Honor, Oppo and others followed, but for years, Apple stayed out.

That restraint is fairly characteristic of the company. It tends to wait until the technology, manufacturing and consumer expectations have matured enough that it can make the category feel less experimental.

MacRumors has reported an exterior display around 5.5 inches and an interior screen approaching 7.8 inches when unfolded. The device is expected to use an ultra-thin construction, a durable hinge and a display designed to minimize the crease that has remained one of foldable phones’ most visible compromises.

Early reporting places the device around $2,000, with some estimates reaching considerably higher depending on configuration.

Apple is expected to introduce the 18 Pro and Pro Max in September but postpone the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e until spring 2027.

Reports point toward Apple's new 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, a potentially smaller Dynamic Island, an upgraded variable-aperture main camera and Apple's next-generation cellular modem.

Apple's September 9 event is confirmed. The iPhone 18 Pro lineup and foldable iPhone remain widely reported expectations rather than officially announced products until Apple unveils them.