Apple’s first foldable iPhone could be one of its most exciting launches in years, but early buyers may want to think beyond the rumored $2,000 starting price. According to repair industry expectations, fixing the device could be dramatically more expensive than repairing today’s premium smartphones, especially if the inner folding screen is damaged.
The biggest concern is the foldable display. Ricky Panesar, founder of London-based repair company iCorrect, expects a replacement for Apple’s inner folding screen to cost around £850, or roughly $1,155, and possibly more. That would make it one of the most expensive handheld device repairs Apple has ever offered.
For comparison, replacing the inner display on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 costs $579, while the previous Galaxy Z Fold 7 had a $449 screen replacement cost. If the estimate for Apple’s foldable iPhone proves accurate, the repair could cost close to 58% of the device’s rumored purchase price.
One reason for the expected high cost is Apple’s likely supply chain. Apple is widely expected to use foldable panels supplied by Samsung Display. Since Apple would be purchasing these components from an external supplier, rather than producing them in-house, the added supplier margin could be passed on to customers through higher repair prices.
AppleCare+ may help, but it may not make repairs as cheap as iPhone owners are used to. At the moment, Apple typically charges $29 in the US for screen or back glass damage under AppleCare+, while other accidental damage costs $99. However, a foldable inner display may not be treated like a standard screen repair. Panesar believes Apple could charge closer to £100 per incident for foldable screen damage, and he suggests the company may even reconsider its unlimited repairs policy due to the high cost of foldable parts.
Even so, AppleCare+ could become almost essential for anyone planning to buy the first foldable iPhone. Without coverage, a damaged inner display could become a four-figure problem.
Independent repair shops may not offer an easy way around the cost, at least not at launch. Apple’s foldable hinge design will be new, and third-party technicians will need time to understand how the device is assembled. That learning curve could make early independent repairs expensive rather than cheaper. The Touch ID module is also expected to be more difficult to service than Face ID components have been in recent iPhones.
Foldable phones are notoriously challenging to repair because the hinge and inner display work together as part of a tightly integrated assembly. Reaching one damaged component often requires removing or disturbing several others. That adds time, complexity, and risk to the repair process.
Repairability has already been a weak point for competing foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 received a low repairability score from iFixit, with its delicate inner display and complicated hinge among the biggest concerns. Apple may improve the design in some areas, but the nature of foldable hardware means repairs are unlikely to be simple or cheap.
Apple is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone at its “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday, September 9, at Apple Park in Cupertino. The device may be announced there, although some reports suggest it may not reach customers until October. It is also expected to run iOS 27, which would be Apple’s first iPhone software version designed with foldable features in mind.
If the rumors are accurate, Apple’s first foldable iPhone could be a major step forward for the company’s smartphone lineup. But buyers should prepare for more than just a premium purchase price. The real shock may come later, if that folding screen ever needs to be replaced.
