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Apple’s Foldable iPhone Just Got Its First Reviews — Here’s What Testers Are Saying

August 31, 2026 by Ryleigh No Comments

Apple has spent nearly a decade watching Samsung, Huawei, and a parade of Chinese phone makers duke it out in the foldable phone market from the sidelines. That changes in less than two weeks. With Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event locked in for September 9 at Apple Park, the company’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is finally about to be real — and thanks to a wave of pre-launch leaks, we already have a surprisingly clear picture of what it’s like to actually use one.

The verdict from the small circle of people who’ve reportedly gotten hands-on time? Cautiously glowing, with one obvious asterisk.

What Testers Are Saying

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, whose sourcing on Apple hardware has an excellent track record, early testers of the foldable — internally referred to as the “iPhone Ultra” — walked away impressed by the fundamentals: how the device disappears into a pocket when folded shut, and just how solid the hinge feels compared to the sometimes-flimsy mechanisms on earlier-generation foldables from other brands (MacRumors; 9to5Mac).

Testers also praised the software side of the experience — new iPad-style app layouts that stretch across the 7.8-inch inner display, making the unfolded phone genuinely useful for gaming, video, and multitasking rather than just a novelty (Tech Startups). The device reportedly also shines as a camera viewfinder, with the big inner screen making it easier to frame shots than on a standard-size phone.

The catch, and it’s a real one: the camera system itself. The foldable is expected to ship with just two rear lenses — a 48-megapixel main sensor and an ultra-wide — with no telephoto lens at all, a notable step down from the triple-camera setup on the iPhone Pro lineup. Testers flagged this as the device’s biggest weakness, and Gurman himself has suggested it “could cost Apple some sales” given how much the phone is expected to cost (Vice; AppleWorld.Today).

There’s also no Face ID. To keep the folded thickness around a razor-thin 4.5mm, Apple reportedly opted for Touch ID built into the side power button instead of embedding Face ID hardware — a tradeoff some testers said they didn’t mind, given how well Touch ID has aged on iPads.

Price and Release Date

Apple’s official invite confirms the September 9 event, dubbed “Surprise and Shine,” at 10 a.m. Pacific — and the Apple foldable iPhone release date now looks all but locked to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max (MacRumors).

As for the iPhone Fold 2026 price, expect sticker shock. Analyst estimates and supply-chain leaks converge on a starting price around $1,999 to $2,300 for the base storage tier, with fully loaded configurations potentially climbing past $2,500–$2,900 (Tom’s Guide; Tech Insider). That would make it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold at launch — comfortably north of even the priciest Pro Max configurations.

Under the hood, rumors point to Apple’s latest A20 chip, a titanium-and-aluminum frame, a liquid-metal hinge Apple claims is virtually invisible when the phone is open, and dual batteries split across each half of the device for a combined capacity in the 5,400–5,800 mAh range.

How It Stacks Up Against Samsung

Apple isn’t walking into an empty room. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 launched July 22 and has been shipping since early August, starting at $1,900 for 256GB, with a 7.6-inch inner display, 5.5-inch cover screen, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, dual 50-megapixel rear cameras, and 45W fast charging — all in a 4.5mm-unfolded, 9.7mm-folded body (SamMobile).

On paper, the two phones are close cousins: nearly identical screen sizes, similar unfolded thickness, comparable pricing tiers. But early foldable iPhone review chatter suggests Apple’s pitch is less about beating Samsung on spec sheets and more about hinge feel, software polish, and that iPad-like app layout — areas where Apple has historically closed the gap on hardware rivals through tighter software integration. Samsung, meanwhile, still has the camera advantage locked down, with dual 50MP sensors against Apple’s telephoto-less duo.

Whether Apple’s foldable can out-charm a Samsung device now in its eighth generation — one that’s had years to sand down early rough edges — is the real story of September 9. Early testers seem to think Apple has a genuine hit on its hands. Now we just have to see if $2,000-plus buyers agree.