Apple’s first foldable iPhone is almost here, and just hours ahead of the launch, we may finally have a better idea of how much it will cost. According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple has recently discussed pricing the device as high as $2,199, while higher-storage versions could get close to the $3,000 mark
There is no getting around it. $2,199 is a lot of money for a smartphone. However, the figure is also a little lower than some of the estimates we have been hearing over the past few months, which placed Apple’s first foldable somewhere around $2,300 to $2,500.
First-generation foldables have never been cheap
Apple entering the foldable market at $2,199 sounds extreme, but first-generation foldables have never been cheap. Samsung’s original Galaxy Fold launched in the U.S. for $1,980 back in 2019.
Samsung has had several generations to refine the formula since then. Its new Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899, despite moving to the shorter and wider form factor that has helped make this generation particularly well received.
Apple, meanwhile, is launching an entirely new iPhone category, and the timing is not exactly helping. Bloomberg says the company initially wanted to keep the starting price at $1,999, but the ongoing memory shortage reportedly pushed costs beyond its original targets.
So while $2,199 is still a huge amount of money for a phone, there is some context behind it. Apple is entering a category that has always commanded high prices, while also dealing with unusually expensive RAM and NAND storage at launch.
Getting one could be the bigger problem
The price may not be the only obstacle at launch. Ming-Chi Kuo previously estimated that Apple would have just 500,000 to 1 million foldable iPhones ready during the third quarter, despite plans to build around 7 million to 8 million units during the second half of 2026.
Kuo also previously pointed to a price of around $2,300 to $2,500, so Bloomberg’s latest figure would actually put the starting price below those expectations.
Apple also appears pretty confident in its foldable plans. Bloomberg previously reported that a second-generation model, codenamed V78, is already being lined up for 2027. The first one has not even launched yet, so Apple clearly seems to be treating foldables as something it wants to stick with rather than a one-year experiment.
We should find out soon whether $2,199 is the number Apple finally settles on. The foldable iPhone is expected to debut on September 9, but Apple has not confirmed the price yet.
