What is going to the folding iPhone seem like? How will it fold?
- Guide-like design with a vertical fold rumored
- Supposed to be an iPhone/iPad hybrid
Apple’s rumored iPhone Extremely is reportedly nearing mass manufacturing, with its design largely finalized. Right here’s what present leaks recommend about how the foldable iPhone will look and the way the hinge and show may match.
Guide-style, iPad hybrid, design
A number of leaks level to a book-style foldable with a big, tablet-like inside show, reasonably than a compact flip-phone design. The machine is predicted to perform as a hybrid between an iPhone and an iPad.
This “passport-style” design will seem noticeably squarer than a standard iPhone when closed. When unfolded, it’s rumored to resemble an iPad mini-like display screen with a 4:3 side ratio, providing a extra expansive viewing expertise.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in 2025 that Apple’s foldable will undertake a dual-display setup, with a powerful give attention to reaching a close to crease-free display screen when opened.
Different 2025 leaks, together with stories from Digital Chat Station on Weibo, additionally level to a vertical, book-style fold the place the left and proper sides shut collectively – just like units just like the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold.
Dummy fashions shared by Sonny Dickson on X in April 2026, show this book-like kind issue.
Sonny Dickson
Extra dummy unit photos from tech YouTuber Vadim Yuryev, additional reinforce this extensive, book-like “passport” design.
In December 2025, this 3D picture of the iPhone Extremely, based mostly on leaked CAD recordsdata, was created by a hobbyist and shared on MakerWorld (now eliminated), additionally aligning with these design expectations.
Nevertheless, various ideas have existed. In 2024, The Data reported that Apple had explored clamshell-style prototypes, the place the machine folds top-to-bottom, just like conventional flip telephones.
This design path could already be influencing rivals. Our colleagues on TechAdvisor report that Samsung is growing a “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Huge” with an analogous 4:3 side ratio, probably positioning it as a direct rival to Apple’s anticipated September 2026 launch.
How Apple is overcoming hinge design and crease discount challenges
Including a hinge to an iPhone introduces vital engineering challenges that Apple has spent years making an attempt to resolve. Whereas rivals have launched a number of generations of foldables, Apple’s slower entry to the market is extensively attributed to its give attention to refining the hinge and delivering a extra seamless person expertise.
The most important technical problem is the seen and tactile crease the place the display screen folds. Apple has reportedly made this a precedence, aiming to minimise it to the purpose of being practically imperceptible.
Because of this, the hinge is predicted to be a defining characteristic of the iPhone Extremely, combining superior supplies and engineering to ship a smoother, extra sturdy folding expertise.
To keep up each thinness and sturdiness, Apple is reportedly testing high-end supplies for the hinge:
- Titanium alloy (rumored for structural energy)
- LiquidMetal, in keeping with Ming-Chi Kuo (March 2025), for improved sturdiness, higher display screen flatness, and decreased creasing.
In July 2025, Kuo reported that Apple had developed a way to scale back crease visibility utilizing steel assist plates to raised distribute and management bending stress. Apple could use this “laser-drilling steel plate expertise” reasonably than standard etching to create a extra exact microstructure.
Apple additionally holds a number of patents for foldable mechanisms which, together with a number of rumored applied sciences, could also be used:
- Variable Thickness Glass: A key a part of Apple’s method is claimed to contain variable thickness show glass, which is thinner on the fold level to scale back stress throughout repeated use. That is anticipated to work alongside an optically clear adhesive layer, designed to additional minimise pressure and assist stop the seen crease that generally develops in foldable units over time.
- Stress-Decreasing Adhesive: An optically clear adhesive designed to scale back pressure on the show throughout folding.
- Extremely-Skinny Profile: Anticipated thickness of round 4.5mm unfolded and 9.5mm folded.
- Inner Assist: Steel plates beneath the show to take care of a totally flat floor when opened.
In March 2026, stories recommended that Samsung Show – Apple’s main display screen provider – has developed a near-creaseless OLED panel, showcased at CES 2026 particularly to fulfill Apple’s requirements.
