Apple is known for entering new product categories later than competitors, focusing on releasing a more polished device instead of being first. This approach helped the company dominate markets with products like the iPod and the iPhone despite arriving years after rivals. A similar pattern may emerge as Apple moves toward launching its first foldable smartphone.
Foldable smartphones have been available for years, with Samsung leading the category through the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip. Although these devices have a steady user base, foldable phones remain a niche due to one major issue: the crease that develops where the screen bends. For many users seeking a premium device, that crease is a significant drawback.
According to Economic Daily News, Apple’s foldable iPhone may avoid this issue entirely. Sources within Apple’s supply chain claim the company has solved the crease problem, suggesting that Apple’s first foldable model could debut as the first device with a “crease-free design.”
Reports indicate that Apple’s crease-free technology is no longer experimental. It has moved into the “engineering verification and pre-mass production process.” Foxconn has also assigned a dedicated production line for the rumored device, which some expect to be called the iPhone Fold.
Apple’s method for preventing screen creases reportedly involves integrating a metal plate into the display. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has explained that this plate distributes and controls bending stress so that the display material does not exceed its elastic limit. As a result, the risk of creasing is reduced.
Kuo also noted that laser drilling will create microstructures within the panel to guide stress distribution and further improve crease resistance. Economic Daily News adds that the hinge components may use Liquidmetal, a material that is strong, lightweight, and said to be 2.5 times more resistant to deformation than titanium alloy.
Rumored specifications include Apple’s C2 modem, which may provide faster network speeds while using less battery power. The device is expected to open horizontally into a small tablet-like form, similar to an iPad, and look like two iPhone Air models stacked when closed. User authentication will reportedly rely on a side-mounted Touch ID sensor instead of Face ID.
If production continues without major issues, reports indicate that Apple may release the foldable iPhone in September 2026.
