Apple’s foldable iPhone development is described in a new Bloomberg report, including Tim Cook’s involvement and the potential retail pricing of the first model. The outlets report that Apple spent years working on foldable concepts and components, culminating in a design aimed at mainstream iPhone buyers rather than a tablet-like device.
According to the report as summarized by the outlets, Cook becomes a central figure in later stages after he returns from a trip to Asia around 2020, where he sees consumers using competing foldables from companies such as Samsung and Huawei. That experience reportedly helps push Apple to accelerate the project. Apple’s engineers focus on problems such as the display crease, hinge reliability, a flexible inner-display cover glass developed with Corning, and under-display camera technology.
Outlets also differ mainly in how they frame the pricing discussion. MacRumors reports an initial target starting price of $1,999, with later internal discussions considering $2,199 amid memory shortages, and some configurations potentially approaching about $3,000. The report notes Apple expects some consumer “sticker shock,” but believes upgraded-storage customers are willing to pay. The foldable iPhone is expected to be announced at Apple’s upcoming event.
