Apple has only just launched the iPhone 17 lineup, but the spotlight is already shifting to next year’s foldable iPhone. Early details suggest the device could borrow heavily from the ultra-thin iPhone Air, setting the stage for Apple’s first true entry into foldable smartphones.
Design Cues from iPhone Air
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple’s foldable iPhone will resemble “two titanium iPhone Airs side by side.” If accurate, that would mean a design that emphasizes thinness and durability, both critical factors for a foldable device. Titanium would likely replace stainless steel to keep the phone light without sacrificing strength.
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This connection has fueled speculation that the iPhone Air itself was a test bed for Apple’s foldable ambitions. Industry watchers believe the Air’s slim profile and construction served as a design experiment ahead of a more complex foldable model.
Production and Supply Chain
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman added that Apple intends to manufacture the foldable iPhone in China, despite reports that production could move to India. He noted there would be “at least” some China-based manufacturing through Apple’s longtime partner Foxconn. The comment reflects Apple’s continued reliance on its existing supply chain, even as it explores diversification.
Price and Market Position
The foldable iPhone is not expected to come cheap. Gurman’s reporting places the starting price at $2,000, with earlier leaks pointing to a range between $2,100 and $2,300. That would make it one of the most expensive consumer iPhones ever sold. Analysts say Apple will position the device as a premium offering, much like the original iPhone X, which introduced a new price ceiling for smartphones.
Apple’s foldable launch comes after years of incremental iPhone updates. With the iPhone 17 family delivering meaningful hardware changes, the foldable represents an even bolder shift. Unlike AI features that competitors such as Google and Samsung have pushed, Apple appears to be betting on design and durability as its differentiators.
By using the iPhone Air as inspiration, Apple signals that the foldable will not simply be about novelty. Instead, the company is working to create a product that feels like a natural extension of its iPhone design lineage, while also commanding a new price bracket.
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