Apple Foldable iPhone: iPad Multitasking for $2,000?

• Apple's first foldable iPhone is reportedly in development and could feature a design that opens to a display approaching the size of an iPad Mini.
• The device is said to run a modified version of iOS with iPad-like multitasking, allowing two apps to run side-by-side, but not the more complex multi-window system of iPadOS.
• Industry analyst Mark Gurman suggests the phone could carry an ultra-premium price tag of around $2,000 (roughly ₹1.66 lakhs) globally.

Disclaimer: All information in this article is based on leaks, rumors, and unverified sources. Details may change before official announcement. Do not make purchasing decisions based on leaked information.

Foldable phones aren't new, but they've felt like someone else's party. Samsung, Google, and a bunch of Chinese brands have been the only ones dancing. Now, the rumor mill has finally decided on a date for Apple's entrance. According to a fresh batch of leaks, Apple's working on a foldable iPhone that doesn't just bend, it wants to replace your iPad Mini. It's a classic Apple move: arrive late, ignore the established playbook, and try to sell you one device that does two things for the price of two devices.

About This Leak

Let's trace this back to the source. The whole story starts with a single report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He's got sources inside Apple, and he's often right about what they're planning, though he's been wrong before. His story got picked up and amplified by the usual tech rumor channels, like Gizchina and Cult of Mac. But here's the thing you need to know. We haven't seen a single blurry photo of a prototype, or a leaked schematic from a factory. All the talk about an 8-inch screen and split-view software is coming from people talking to Gurman, who talked to his sources. It's a rumor chain, not hard evidence.

Rumored Design & Form Factor

If you're picturing a Galaxy Z Fold clone, stop. The whispers describe something different. They're calling it a "hybrid between an iPhone and an iPad mini." Unfolded, the screen inside is supposed to be close to the 8.3-inch panel on an iPad Mini. That tells you the outer screen, the one you'd use when it's closed, would probably be pretty small. The reports are vague on whether it folds like a book or a wallet. They just say the look will be "utilitarian." Translation: don't expect a rainbow of colors. Think space gray, then think a slightly darker gray.

The Software Experience: iOS, But Bigger

This is where Apple could actually make a foldable interesting. The phone won't run iPadOS. It'll use a tweaked version of iOS. Gurman's report says Apple is redesigning its own apps to have sidebars, like you see on an iPad. The goal is simple: make your existing iPhone apps work on this bigger screen without forcing developers to start from scratch. They'd just need to adjust their layouts a bit.

Limited iPad-Style Multitasking

But they aren't giving you a full iPad. Your dreams of floating windows and Stage Manager on a phone-sized device can stay dreams. The consensus is you'll get split-screen. Just two apps, side by side. That's it. No stacking, no overlapping. It's a deliberate choice. Apple's likely betting that the real use case for a bigger phone screen is running two things at once, not trying to turn it into a tiny, frustrating desktop.

Rumored Specifications & Features

Hardware details are the shakiest part of this rumor. One outlet says one thing, another says something else. So let's lay out what's been mentioned and label it with the appropriate level of skepticism.

Confidence Levels: High = Repeated by multiple credible sources. Medium = Mentioned by one credible source or echoed without direct sourcing. Low = Single mention from a less-specific report or social media speculation.

Expected Pricing & Global Launch Timeline

Get ready for sticker shock. Mark Gurman puts the price at around $2,000. That's Galaxy Z Fold territory, and it's double what a top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max costs today. As for when you'll see it, most guesses point to a September event. That's Apple's favorite month for new iPhones. But the year? That's the multi-billion dollar question. No one with real knowledge is saying if this is a 2025 project, a 2026 dream, or something even further out. The timeline is the biggest blank space in this whole story.

India Launch Expectations

Apple isn't ignoring India anymore. It's a huge market for them now. So if this phone launches globally, it's almost certainly coming to India, too.

BIS Certification & Timeline

How will you know it's coming? Watch for the BIS certification. Once this mystery device shows up on the Indian standards website, you can start a countdown. That listing usually means a launch is about 1-2 months away. If the world gets it in September, India will probably get it that same month, maybe early October.

Expected India Pricing & Availability

Do the math on that $2,000 price. With taxes and duties, you're looking at somewhere between ₹1,65,000 and ₹1,85,000. You'll be able to buy it from Apple's own stores in Mumbai and Delhi, their online store, and fancy authorized resellers. Don't expect a flash sale on Flipkart. But, if history is any guide, Amazon India might sneak in with some kind of exclusive launch bundle, like they've done with iPads before.

What We Still Don't Know

• Official Name: Will it be called iPhone Fold, iPhone Flip, or something else like "iPhone Ultra"?
• Launch Year: The most critical unknown—2025, 2026, or later?
• Definitive Design: Clamshell or book-style? Exact dimensions and hinge mechanism.
• Full Spec Sheet: Processor, camera system details, battery capacity, refresh rate, etc.
• Color Options: Beyond "utilitarian" shades, what will the actual finishes be?
• Software Version: Which iteration of iOS will it debut with?
• Durability: How will Apple's approach to the crease and screen durability compare?

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable are these foldable iPhone rumors?

They come from a good journalist with good sources. But Apple kills projects all the time. Until it's on stage, assume it could vanish.

When is the foldable iPhone expected to be announced?

Rumors say September. They don't say which September. Could be next year, could be in three.

Should I wait for the foldable iPhone or buy a current model?

Don't wait. This is a phantom. Buy the phone you need today.

Will the final product be different from these leaks?

Guaranteed. What gets leaked is an early prototype. The final product is always different.

Will it be available in India at launch?

Probably yes, with maybe a few weeks delay at most. Apple treats India as a major market now.

The Bigger Picture

Here's what feels real in all this noise. Apple isn't interested in making a folding laptop. They want to make a big iPhone. Their play is to merge the two devices you use most, the phone and the small tablet, into one incredibly expensive package. The split-screen focus is a tell. They think the killer app is just doing two phone things at once, better. That's a modest goal, but it might be the right one. The problem is the price. At two grand, this thing can't just be good. It has to feel like magic. And Apple hasn't done magic in a while. So file this under fascinating, but keep your wallet closed until you see Tim Cook holding one, without a crease in the screen.

Sources

• gizchina.com
• stuff.tv
• facebook.com (The Apple Hub)
• cultofmac.com
• msn.com
• notebookcheck.net
• gadgets360.com