Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever.

iphone 16 pro models 1
If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199.

Long shared this pricing estimate following a recent trip to Asia, where his team met with hardware manufacturers. He said there is increasing discussion within the supply chain about a foldable iPhone launching in late 2026 to early 2027, but he believes that the device's higher starting price would unsurprisingly limit sales volume.

Earlier this month, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the first foldable iPhone would be priced between $2,000 and $2,500, so multiple analysts agree that the device will cost at least a few thousand dollars. Kuo believes there could still be strong demand for the foldable iPhone despite its higher price, however, provided that the device's quality meets expectations. For example, Apple releasing a foldable smartphone without a visible crease in the screen would be a major breakthrough.

Kuo said the first foldable iPhone would feature a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, two rear cameras, one front camera, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and a high-density battery. He expects the device to be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and between 9mm and 9.5mm when folded. He expects the device to have a titanium exterior, but the hinge would use a mix of titanium and stainless steel.

Kuo said the foldable iPhone would enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026.

With the foldable iPhone at least a year and a half away, keep in mind that this pricing estimate is surely just an educated guess.

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Top Rated Comments

abatabia Avatar
24 weeks ago
The Vision Pro of iPhone models? I’ll pass. I never got the appeal of foldable.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jarutais Avatar
24 weeks ago
Another day another flop
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
glenncashuric Avatar
24 weeks ago
That price actually makes sense. What makes even more sense is me not buying one. But again, that's just me.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I/0 Avatar
24 weeks ago
Honestly, even if it was the same price as the Pro Max I just wouldn’t be interested in a foldable at all.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tubular Avatar
24 weeks ago
I am so not the market for this.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zorn Avatar
24 weeks ago
Even at double price this will likely be an insta-buy for me. Foldables are amazing and I can't wait to see Apple do this really well.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)