iPhone Fold 1 Could Be Thinner and Cheaper Than Expected

Apple hasn’t even launched the iPhone 17 lineup yet, but rumors for its foldable iPhone are already heating up. And for once, it’s not just about futuristic tech—this time, it’s about how Apple might actually price the iPhone fold lower than expected and make it incredibly thin.

Apple Might Undercut the Foldable Price Norm

For years, analysts expected Apple’s foldable to cost well over $2,000, making it a super premium device for only the most dedicated fans. But a new UBS report says Apple might surprise everyone. Thanks to clever cost-cutting in areas like memory, processor, and camera modules, the foldable iPhone could have a lower bill of materials than Samsung’s latest Z Fold SE. That gives Apple room to price it at $1,800 to $2,000 instead of the originally expected $2,000 to $2,500. That’s still more than a MacBook Pro, but it’s in line with Samsung’s Z Fold7, which starts at $1,999.

UBS believes Apple can keep profit margins between 53% and 58%, even at the lower price range—the same kind of margins Samsung earns from its foldables, and much higher than Apple’s standard iPhones.

Foldable iPhone Could Be Apple’s Thinnest Device Ever

Aside from the price, the foldable iPhone might break another Apple record: thickness. Or rather, thinness.

Weibo leaker Instant Digital says the iPhone Fold will be 4.8mm thin when unfolded, which would make it the thinnest Apple product ever, beating iPhone 17 Air (5.5mm rumored) and even the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro (5.1mm).

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier suggested it could go as low as 4.5mm, but Apple may fall just short of that. For context, Samsung’s latest Fold 7 is 4.2mm.

Also, when folded, it could measure around 9.5mm, which is a bit thicker than Z Fold7 at 8.9mm. Samsung’s been iterating foldables since 2019, so Apple is catching up fast.

Specs and Launch Timeline Leak Ahead of 2026 Debut

The device is still over a year away, but early leaks paint a picture of what Apple might deliver:

• 7.8-inch inner display with a crease-free design
• 5.5-inch outer display
• Two rear cameras and one front camera
• Touch ID in power button, no Face ID
• Mass production set for second half of 2026, with launch likely late next year

Instant Digital, the leaker behind the 4.8mm claim, has a decent track record. But as with all early leaks, some details could still change. Still, if this all pans out, Apple’s first foldable won’t just be another luxury gadget—it could be one of the thinnest, sleekest, and most competitively priced foldables on the market.