For more than a decade, Apple has been the most dominant force in the global smartphone industry. With each iteration of the iPhone, the company has established new benchmarks for design precision, camera capabilities, performance silicon, and ecosystem integration. But despite its reputation for breakthrough hardware engineering, Apple has remained a conspicuous outsider in one of the most important hardware trends of the last seven years: foldable smartphones.
That absence is about to end — and if the latest supply chain intelligence is correct, it will end with an extremely expensive bang.
According to a new analyst report from Fubon Research, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to debut at a staggering $2,399, far exceeding the price predictions previously circulating in the industry. This pricing, if accurate, radically reshapes expectations not only for Apple’s entry into the foldable category but for the entire ultra-premium smartphone segment. It also reinforces the belief that Apple may brand this device as the iPhone Ultra, rather than the more basic and predictable “iPhone Fold.”
This next-generation device, long speculated, now feels closer than ever — not only because analysts agree it is coming in 2026, but because foldable technology has finally matured to a point where Apple can enter without risking a compromised user experience.
This article explores the emerging details, market context, pricing strategy, and the deep industry implications this ultra-expensive foldable could trigger.
Why Apple’s Timing Finally Makes Sense
The foldable smartphone market has undergone dramatic evolution since the launch of the first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Samsung and Google have spent years refining hinge mechanisms, display materials, crease management, and structural durability. Early foldables were impressive but fragile, exciting yet incomplete.
Those days are over.
Samsung’s product VP, Drew Blackard, recently stated that consumers are now experiencing the first truly mainstream-ready foldables:
“We’ve addressed consumer feedback year after year and arrived at an experience you can’t get on any other device.”
This shift — a maturation of the category — makes Apple’s long-awaited entry strategically timed. Apple rarely joins new categories early; it joins when technology becomes reliable enough to meet Apple’s famously strict standards. The same pattern can be seen with 5G, OLED displays, wireless charging, and always-on screen technology.
Apple seems to have waited for three key developments:
1. Crease-Free Flexible Displays Become Feasible
New composite materials and redesigned hinge systems now allow for significantly reduced or near-invisible screen creases.
2. Foldables Surpass Flat Phones in Multitasking Functionality
Multitasking, stylus input, and expanded tablet-like interfaces have become core advantages rather than experimental features.
3. High-End Consumers Are Ready for Luxury Foldables
Even mainstream smartphone buyers are becoming comfortable with premium pricing. The Pro Max as a $1,199 device proved that certain consumers will continue upgrading if value is perceived.
With the foldable market stabilizing, Apple’s entry is more than a product launch — it’s the moment the category becomes inevitable.
The $2,399 Price Tag: Strategic Luxury or Market Risk?
Earlier reports suggested Apple’s first foldable might land around $1,999, aligning it with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold. But Fubon Research, citing supply chain analysis and Apple’s margins, believes this figure severely underestimates Apple’s approach.
Their prediction: $2,399.
This number is not arbitrary. It reflects:
- Apple’s notoriously high component quality
- The cost of next-generation crease-free folding glass
- Titanium or aerospace-grade construction
- Ultra-premium hinge engineering
- Apple’s signature profit margin
- R&D investment costs amortized into an early-generation product
For context:
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 | $1,999 (often discounted) |
| Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold | $1,799 (frequently discounted) |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | $1,199 |
At $2,399, Apple would price the foldable at double the cost of the Pro Max — sending a clear signal: this is not a device for every user.
It is a luxury flagship meant to redefine a category.
And that is exactly why the name iPhone Ultra feels increasingly likely.
Why “iPhone Ultra” Makes Sense
Apple has been steadily expanding its “Ultra” branding across product lines:
- Apple Watch Ultra
- M3 Ultra chip
- Rumored AirPods Ultra
The term communicates maximum capability, highest durability, and elite performance — qualities Apple likely wants associated with its foldable flagship.
More importantly, “Fold” is descriptive, but “Ultra” is aspirational. Apple rarely chooses function-based names when a prestige-based name is available.
If the device costs $2,399, “Ultra” is practically inevitable.
What the Foldable iPhone Might Offer
While Apple has not officially revealed details, industry insiders and patents point toward the following characteristics:
1. A Crease-Free Foldable Display
Apple reportedly partnered with LG and Samsung Display for next-generation flexible OLED panels with breakthrough anti-crease innovations.
2. Titanium Chassis with Reinforced Corners
Borrowing from Apple Watch Ultra’s premium durability profile.
3. A Hybrid iPadOS-Like Interface
Designed to transform seamlessly between phone and tablet modes.
4. Periscope Zoom Camera
Exclusive to the foldable model, surpassing the Pro Max.
5. The Most Advanced Apple Silicon Mobile Chip Yet
Possibly an A20 Ultra variant.
6. Thinner Than Competing Foldables
Apple reportedly developed a compact hinge system to reduce overall thickness.
7. Pencil Support
Highly likely, considering Apple wants the device to double as a creative workstation.
These attributes position the device not simply as a foldable phone — but as an all-in-one iPhone, iPad mini, and digital notebook replacement.
Why Apple Can Still Win Despite the High Price
Critics argue that $2,399 is unrealistic for a smartphone. But Apple does not design products for everyone. It designs aspirational devices that drive cultural and financial impact far beyond units sold.
Consider the following factors:
1. Luxury Tech Is Booming
Consumers increasingly embrace $1,000–$3,000 devices when premium value is clear.
2. Foldables Remain a Prestige Category
Buyers of foldables tend to be tech-forward, affluent, and brand-loyal — the ideal Apple demographic.
3. Apple’s Ecosystem Is Its Secret Weapon
No other foldable competitor offers:
- iMessage
- FaceTime
- AirDrop
- Universal Clipboard
- Apple Pencil support
- The App Store’s quality-controlled environment
These features will be enough to justify the premium price to many.
4. Early Adoption Will Build Momentum
Even if only a fraction of Apple users buy the first-generation foldable, it will accelerate the shift toward mainstream foldable adoption.
5. Apple Will Eventually Release Cheaper Foldables
Just like the iPhone X paved the way for more affordable Face ID devices, the first foldable iPhone will create a roadmap for future models.
Consumer Reaction: Interest, Excitement, and Sticker Shock
The early reactions reveal a mix of enthusiasm and concern. Some users see the foldable iPhone as the next major evolution of mobile computing. Others, especially those familiar with Samsung’s foldables, worry the price jump is unjustifiable.
One commenter summed it up:
“I loved my Galaxy Fold. But there comes a point when the price becomes too much for what it does. I think I’ll pass.”
This sentiment reveals a key tension:
- Apple wants to position the foldable as an ultra-premium breakthrough device.
- But consumers want to feel the price reflects functional value, not branding.
The success of the foldable iPhone will depend on how convincingly Apple can bridge that gap.
What Happens Next for Apple’s Foldable Strategy?
As rumors intensify, several key developments are expected over the next twelve months:
- Large-scale production trials beginning in mid-2025
- Component supply chain stabilization
- Prototype testing inside Apple’s secretive engineering labs
- A possible preview during an early Apple Event
- Official release in early 2026
The next-generation foldable landscape is about to shift dramatically — and Apple plans to be the brand leading that shift.