New details are emerging about Apple’s first foldable iPhone, and they paint a clearer picture of what the company is aiming for: an ultra-premium foldable that feels more like a pocketable iPad mini than a traditional iPhone.
According to the latest information, Apple is expected to adjust iOS significantly to better fit a foldable design. Rather than creating a completely new operating system, Apple will reportedly borrow many interface ideas from iPadOS. That said, the foldable iPhone likely won’t inherit every advanced iPad multitasking feature. The focus appears to be on practical, everyday usability—most notably the ability to run two apps side-by-side, similar to how the iPad mini handles split-screen use.
Apple is also said to be nudging developers toward design changes that make better use of a larger, foldable display. One key suggestion is the wider adoption of left-hand sidebars. This style of navigation, common on iPads, can make it faster to move through sections of an app and simplify tasks like browsing content or searching for files, especially when using a wider screen.
On the hardware side, the report suggests Apple’s foldable won’t completely eliminate the screen crease. It also isn’t expected to use an under-display selfie camera. Apple reportedly explored under-panel camera tech but moved away from it due to image clarity issues. Instead, the device is expected to feature a conventional punch-hole camera.
An interesting twist is that a visible camera cutout could allow Apple to bring its Dynamic Island-style software experience to the foldable iPhone. Meanwhile, biometric authentication may be handled by a side-mounted fingerprint sensor rather than an in-display solution or facial recognition—an approach that could make sense given the engineering constraints of a foldable design.
Pricing is also shaping up to be a major talking point. A separate leak claims Apple is aiming for extremely high-end pricing in China, potentially exceeding the starting price of Samsung’s top foldable models there. The suggested prices are:
If these figures hold, Apple’s foldable iPhone could sit firmly in the “ultra-premium” tier, competing less on affordability and more on a tablet-like software experience, polished app layouts, and Apple’s signature interface features adapted for a foldable screen.
With iPad-inspired multitasking, side-by-side apps, Dynamic Island support, and a high-end price tag, Apple’s foldable iPhone is increasingly sounding like a new product category: part iPhone, part mini tablet—built for people who want a bigger canvas without giving up pocketability.
