Image: foldable smartphone concept illustration.
Rumour analysis · Research checked 7 September 2026
A phone that opens into a small tablet sounds useful. A phone that costs US$2,000 or more sounds like a difficult conversation with your bank account. Apple’s rumoured first foldable iPhone could put both ideas in the same pocket, forcing an awkward question: how much would you pay for a different shape?
The date is official; the device and price are not. Apple has announced a special event for 9 September at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Its invitation does not confirm a folding iPhone, its name, specifications or cost. Apple’s event announcement
In a 1 September Tom’s Guide interview, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman put the expected price at US$2,000 or above. Apple has not confirmed that figure. The interview with Gurman
The case for more screen in your pocket
The strongest argument for buying one is surprisingly ordinary. Perhaps your phone is the computer you use most, and the screen is the thing that keeps getting in your way.
Imagine checking a train route beside a hotel booking, reading a document without constantly zooming, or answering a message while keeping another app visible. If opening the phone made those tasks easier every day, the hinge could earn its place. The appeal would be having the larger screen with you when you need it, without remembering another device or carrying another bag.
That could matter especially to someone who likes their current iPhone but keeps wishing it had more room. The foldable would not need to convince that person to change their entire digital routine. It would need to improve a few familiar moments often enough to justify its cost.
Samsung already offers a useful reality check. Its Galaxy Z Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra became generally available on 7 August, with announced US starting prices of $1,899.99 and $2,099.99, respectively. An iPhone around the reported price would enter an existing premium category. Apple would still have to explain why its version deserves your money. Samsung’s launch announcement
A premium price can still involve compromises
Here is the strongest argument against it: you might pay more and still give up something you use constantly.
Gurman also expects no telephoto camera, Touch ID rather than Face ID, and a crease that remains visible in some conditions. All are unconfirmed. Reported trade-offs
If you regularly photograph a child’s performance or distant details on holiday, a bigger viewfinder may not compensate for losing the zoom you wanted. If you mostly send messages and glance at maps, you might open the larger display far less often than the launch video encourages you to imagine. A feature can be impressive and still be a poor fit for your day.
There is also a difference between wanting a new experience and needing to replace what you already own. Consider the purchase without a monthly payment attached: would you hand over the full amount for the extra space? And if your current phone still works, what specific frustration would disappear?
The purchase has to survive an ordinary Tuesday
Our view: a foldable earns its premium when it changes a recurring task enough that going back feels inconvenient. A dramatic first demonstration cannot establish that. Battery life during normal use, comfortable handling, repair costs and how your own apps behave deserve as much attention as the moment the screen unfolds.
Apple’s 9 September event may give this debate firmer details. Until then, awarding it victory over Samsung would be premature, and dismissing every potential buyer as a status seeker would miss the practical appeal.
If the rumours are right, would you pay US$2,000 or more for a folding iPhone? Tell us what you would use the extra screen for—and which compromise would make you walk away.
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