The foldable iPhone is literally becoming clearer as we inch ever closer to its reported September announcement alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.
In a post on X, longtime leaker Sonny Dickson shared images of what he claims are dummy models depicting the final designs of the foldable iPhone. Physical mockups typically leak out months in advance of a device’s announcement as the complex supply chain of case and accessory makers get their products ready to coincide with the device’s launch.
Exclusive First Dummies of what the final size of the iPhone Fold, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will look like. pic.twitter.com/X9P9uBK12p
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 7, 2026
The dummy models corroborate several previous leaks and reports on the foldable iPhone, including its smaller and squatter screen (rumored to be around 5.5 inches for the outside display and around 7.8 inches for the inside screen). Sam Kohl over at his channel AppleTrack actually created realistic-looking 3D renders of the final design a few weeks back.
This alleged final, final, final design does show a few new details, including a plateau for the dual-lens camera system that is smaller than illustrated in 3D renders. Other details that the dummy units don’t show: a cutout like on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max and a MagSafe ring. The latter is particularly concerning. It would be a major misstep if the foldable iPhone, which is rumored to start at around $2,000, doesn’t have MagSafe or wireless charging.
Consumers and reviewers rightfully called Apple out for omitting MagSafe from the iPhone 16e. Apple corrected its mistake by adding the feature into the iPhone 17e, which I recently reviewed favorably for its fantastic value. There will be rioting in the streets if Apple’s cheapest iPhone has MagSafe, but its most expensive iPhone doesn’t. Basic Qi2 wireless charging would suffice, but MagSafe is now widely considered an iPhone staple.
Launch delay?
While Apple is widely expected to announce the foldable iPhone in September, the device may not launch until several months later. The latest supply chain checks (via MacRumors) indicate that Apple is still negotiating pricing on certain components and has not yet locked in certain design decisions ahead of mass production. This could push the release date for the foldable iPhone to as late as December.
While Apple usually releases its new iPhones around one to two weeks after their announcement in September, there have been times where some models launched later. In September 2017, the iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 / 8 Plus, but it didn’t actually launch until November that year. The following year, the iPhone XR was announced with the iPhone XS / XS Max in September, but it wasn’t released until late October.
Anything could change in the next few months. Apple is a maestro when it comes to managing the supply chain to manufacture its products. But even if the foldable iPhone is delayed, I’d bet people will queue up. It’s going to be the first real deviation for the iPhone’s form factor since its introduction.
