Quick answer
The iPhone Fold has not been released. As of 19 October 2026, no foldable iPhone appears in Apple's list of devices that run iOS 27, which tops out at the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. Pre-launch reports said it would arrive in September 2026 for about $2,000 to $2,500, with a 7.8-inch inner screen. None of that is confirmed.
Has Apple released the iPhone Fold?
No, Apple has not released a foldable iPhone. The clearest evidence is Apple's own software catalogue. Every iPhone sold today runs iOS 27, and Apple's iOS 27 device list has 33 models, from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. There is no foldable among them.
This page was written in January 2026, when reports said Apple would launch its first foldable in September 2026. That month has come and gone. We have kept the reported details below because people still search for them, but each one is labelled for what it is: a claim from before launch, not an Apple specification.
iPhone Fold release date: what was reported and what happened
Reports through the first half of 2026 described a timeline that ended with a September 2026 launch next to the iPhone 18 Pro.
| Reported milestone | Reported timing | What we can confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering testing | Early 2026 | Nothing from Apple |
| Mass production | Summer 2026 | Nothing from Apple |
| Announcement with iPhone 18 Pro | September 2026 | iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max run iOS 27; no foldable does |
| Software built for the fold in iOS 27 | iOS 27, autumn 2026 | No foldable features in Apple's iOS 27 highlights |
Hardware schedules slip all the time, and reports about a first-generation product are especially uncertain. What we can say is that the specific September 2026 prediction did not come true. If and when Apple announces a foldable, this page will change.
iPhone Fold price: the reported range
Apple has not announced a price for a foldable iPhone. Pre-launch reports, including one attributed to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, put it between roughly $2,000 and $2,500. That would make it the most expensive iPhone Apple has sold.
The reasoning behind those estimates was the cost of a large folding display, a new hinge and a thin body. All of it came from the supply chain, not from Apple. Do not budget around it.
Reported iPhone Fold specs
These are the specifications that appeared most often in reports before launch. None has been confirmed by Apple.
| Feature | What reports claimed |
|---|---|
| Design | Book-style fold that opens sideways, like a Galaxy Z Fold rather than a flip phone |
| Inner display | About 7.8 inches, with a 4:3 shape close to an iPad mini |
| Outer display | About 5.5 inches |
| Crease | Nearly invisible, helped by a liquid metal hinge |
| Thickness | About 4.5 mm unfolded, about 9 to 9.5 mm folded |
| Chip | A20 Pro on a 2 nm process |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the side button, no Face ID |
| Rear cameras | Two 48MP cameras, wide and ultra wide, no telephoto |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB and 1TB |
| Colours | Few at launch, such as black and white |
| Price | Roughly $2,000 to $2,500 |
An earlier version of this page also listed exact screen resolutions, battery capacity, charging speeds, modem, water resistance, hinge durability and production volumes. We have removed those details because they appeared in fewer reports and we could not trace them to a dependable source.
Design and display: why the crease mattered
The single most repeated claim about the iPhone Fold was that it would have an almost invisible crease. Reports said Apple had held off on a foldable until it could solve the visible fold line and durability problems of earlier foldables from other makers.
The other notable claim was the shape. A 4:3 inner screen would feel more like a small iPad than a stretched phone when open, while the roughly 5.5-inch outer screen would keep it usable one-handed when closed. Both points are plausible design goals, but they remain unconfirmed.
iOS 27 and foldable software features
Many iOS 27 leaks tied the release to a foldable iPhone. Reports described two apps running side by side on the inner screen, Slide Over for a third app, drag and drop between apps, and apps that keep your place when you fold or unfold the phone.
None of that appeared in Apple's iOS 27 announcements. The confirmed iOS 27 features centre on Siri AI, a rebuilt search, a Liquid Glass transparency slider, plain-English Shortcuts and performance work. The full rundown is in our iOS 27 features list, and our iOS 27 leaks record shows which other pre-launch reports held up.
What you can buy today instead
If you were waiting for a foldable and want a large screen now, two current Apple devices come closest.
- iPhone 18 Pro Max: the larger of the two iPhone 18 models, with full Apple Intelligence support. See the iPhone 18 Pro Max IPSW page for its software builds.
- iPad mini (A17 Pro): a small tablet close to the inner-screen size reports described for the Fold. It runs iPadOS 27. Its builds are on the iPad mini (A17 Pro) IPSW page.
If you already have a recent iPhone, it gets iOS 27 as long as it is an iPhone 11 or later, or an iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation). Check yours in the iOS 27 supported devices list.
How to tell real iPhone Fold news from rumour
When Apple launches a new iPhone, three things happen that leaks cannot fake. Apple publishes it on its own website and newsroom, it appears on Apple's list of supported devices for the current iOS, and it gets its own software builds. Until all three happen for a foldable, treat every new spec sheet, render or release date as speculation.
- Check Apple's iPhone page for the current lineup.
- Be wary of pre-order pages and "leaked" prices from sites that are not Apple or a carrier you already use.
- Remember that a widely repeated rumour is still a rumour; repetition is not confirmation.
What to do next
For the iPhones Apple did release with iOS 27, our look at iPhone 18 and iOS 27 covers how the newest hardware and software fit together.
Frequently asked questions
Has the iPhone Fold been released?
No. As of 19 October 2026, Apple's list of iPhones that run iOS 27 has 33 models, with iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as the newest, and no foldable among them. Any new iPhone released this year would run iOS 27, so a shipping iPhone Fold would appear on that list. Treat anything you read about it as unconfirmed.
When will the iPhone Fold come out?
Nobody outside Apple knows, and Apple has not announced one. Pre-launch reports pointed to September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, but that date has passed without a foldable in Apple's device list. Until Apple announces a product, any new release date is another prediction, not a fact you can plan around.
How much will the iPhone Fold cost?
Apple has not announced a price. Reports before launch, including one attributed to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, put the iPhone Fold at roughly $2,000 to $2,500, which would make it Apple's most expensive iPhone. Those figures were estimates from the supply chain, not Apple pricing, and any real price could differ.
Will the iPhone Fold have Face ID?
Reports said no. The most widely repeated claim was that Apple would use Touch ID in the side button to save space in a very thin body. Apple has confirmed nothing about the design, so this remains a report. If a foldable iPhone does launch, Apple's own product and tech specs pages will settle the question.
Will the iPhone Fold run iOS 27?
Pre-launch reports said iOS 27 was being prepared with a foldable in mind, including side-by-side apps on the large inner screen. Apple's WWDC 2026 announcements for iOS 27 did not include foldable-specific features, and there is no foldable on the iOS 27 device list. If Apple launches one, it will run whatever iOS version is current at the time.
What can I buy now instead of an iPhone Fold?
Of the two iPhone 18 models, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the larger one. If you want something closer to the small-tablet size reports described for the Fold's inner screen, look at the iPad mini (A17 Pro), which runs iPadOS 27. Both are current Apple devices that run this year's software.