Apple's first foldable iPhone may turn out to be smaller on the outside than many people imagine. According to a new report from The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the iPhone mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales.
Given that consumers passed on the compact screen that featured on the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, you have to wonder how open they would be to using an even smaller one on a premium foldable device. That's assuming the sizes are accurate, of course.
The report's dimensions actually differ slightly from earlier predictions by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the foldable iPhone would feature a 7.8-inch inner display and 5.5-inch outer display. The Information's sources suggest marginally smaller screens at 7.7 inches and 5.3 inches, although the exact dimensions may still be in flux ahead of an expected September 2026 launch.
Either way, when closed, the iPhone Fold would feel more like a smaller everyday phone than other foldables on the market. Compare the above dimensions with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which has a 6.5-inch front display, or the Google Pixel Pro Fold, whose cover screen comes in at 6.3 inches. Indeed, the iPhone Fold's front display would be smaller than almost all current major foldables.
When choosing size, Apple will of course have a very deliberate product strategy in mind. While Samsung and Google largely treat the cover display on their foldables as a full-time smartphone screen, Apple may see the device's folded state as a secondary experience, suited to notifications, quick replies, and other glanceable interactions, while reserving the main experience for when the device is unfolded, providing an iPad mini-like productivity canvas.
That said, software has limits. If users expect to browse, type extensively, or use third-party apps in the folded state, no amount of interface refinement will fully overcome a physically smaller canvas. That's what makes the comparison to the iPhone mini so notable, especially for a device expected to command a price premium of anywhere between $2,000 and $2,500.
