According to mounting reports, Apple is preparing to unveil its most ambitious product in years: a foldable iPhone. If accurate, the arrival of what many are calling “iPhone Fold” could render current discussions about incremental upgrades largely irrelevant.

Expected to launch as early as this autumn - or by December at the latest, according to some sources - the device has the potential to redefine the iPhone itself, nearly two decades after its original debut.

A new form factor after nearly two decades

The last time Apple introduced a fundamentally new iPhone design was in 2007. Since then, each generation has refined a familiar rectangular form. The foldable iPhone could break that pattern entirely.

Reports suggest a book-style design with a 7.76-inch inner display, approaching the size of an iPad mini. When folded, it would feature a 5.49-inch outer screen, functioning as a compact smartphone.

Industry observers, including Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, have described the device as the most significant overhaul in iPhone history. Based on current leaks, that assessment does not seem overstated.

The device is rumored to feature a near crease-free folding display, a premium titanium frame and the same A20 Pro chip expected in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. A battery of around 5,500 mAh - potentially the largest ever in an iPhone - is also anticipated.

Yet the appeal of iPhone Fold goes beyond specifications. Even within the tech community, some users say they are already committed to buying the device based solely on concept renders.

What draws them in is not incremental improvement, but the promise of a new experience: a device compact enough for a pocket, yet capable of unfolding into a true multitasking platform.

Foldable smartphones have existed for years in the Android ecosystem, but for Apple, this would mark a first. That alone could be enough to reshape consumer expectations.

Notably, in many of these discussions, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is barely mentioned. The focus has shifted toward Apple’s most ambitious product, rather than its most refined.

The software question

If hardware is the headline, software remains the biggest uncertainty.

How Apple adapts iOS to a foldable form factor may ultimately determine the device’s success. While the company has years of experience optimizing large screens through iPadOS, seamlessly transitioning between two distinct display sizes on a single device presents a different challenge.

It is also the question that most intrigues observers: not whether the device will work, but how elegantly Apple will make it work.

The US$2,000 question

Pricing, however, could prove a barrier.

Rumors suggest a starting price of around US$1,999, with higher-end versions reaching up to US$2,399. While steep, these figures align with existing premium foldable devices.

And if any company can persuade users to spend US$2,000 on a smartphone, it is Apple.

In practical terms, the device could replace both a phone and a tablet. For users who regularly carry two devices or seek a larger screen for reading, video or multitasking, the value proposition becomes clearer.

That is something incremental changes - such as a smaller Dynamic Island - are unlikely to achieve.

Still, concerns remain. A compact folded design and high price could slow early adoption. There are also reports that Apple may remove Face ID to save space, replacing it with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a solution already common in foldable Android devices.

These are valid considerations. Yet Apple’s history suggests a familiar pattern: it rarely invents categories, but often redefines them.

The iPod was not the first MP3 player. The iPhone was not the first smartphone. AirPods were not the first wireless earbuds. Each, however, set new standards.

The real story of 2026

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will almost certainly be a strong device, with a 2nm chip, improved battery life and advanced camera features. But those are refinements of an established formula.

The foldable iPhone represents something entirely different - a reimagining of the product itself.

For the first time in years, there is a sense of genuine anticipation around what Apple might deliver next. If the rumors hold true, iPhone Fold could become the defining technology story of 2026.

Everything else, including the iPhone 18 Pro Max, may simply be the prelude.

Hai Phong