Bloomberg's Gurman Prepares Foldable iPhone Case

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has prepared a case for the upcoming foldable iPhone. Accessory manufacturers are simultaneously creating molds using models close to production size, indicating that the body profile has been treated by the supply chain as specifications for an upcoming sale, rather than a concept image.

This device is often referred to in reports as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra, and is planned to be released alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series in September, or shortly thereafter. Its design resembles a passport-style book fold: the outer screen is about 5.5 inches, the inner screen is about 7.8 inches, and when unfolded, it offers a user experience close to that of an iPad mini; the side power button integrates Touch ID, the front features a punch-hole camera while retaining the Dynamic Island. The rear includes a 48-megapixel main camera and an ultra-wide angle, with the long-focus possibly being eliminated. Early internal testers have reported that pocket compatibility, hinge feel, and inner screen partitioning are acceptable, and it can be used as a viewfinder.

The expected price exceeds $2000, with the Chinese market potentially reaching around $2500. Supply has been repeatedly warned to be tight: the complexity of displays and materials may cause initial week quantities to lag behind standard models, with daily production reportedly only in the hundreds. The software will run a customized iOS, supporting side-by-side applications when unfolded, but will not directly run existing iPad applications. Gurman also noted signs that MagSafe will be compatible with the foldable device; third-party cases already feature magnetic rings, while some ultra-thin models do not show internal magnets, indicating a possibility of externalizing the magnetic function to the case.

As per usual, the accessory market is validating openings with dummy devices before the launch event. The case has shown a wider foldable footprint, top volume buttons, and side key fingerprint placement. Compatibility of the new flat model case with the previous generation Pro is reported to be not fully bidirectional. The focus of the foldable case is on hinge coverage and the protruding edges of the inner and outer screens, with thickness and magnetic attraction specifications potentially conflicting.

Mechanically, this is a pre-launch accessory rush, not a transaction of complete devices. Buyers include media, reviewers, and early scalpers who are confident they will get their hands on the real device in September, while sellers are case manufacturers who have already molded according to the final shape. Funds are flowing from the launch event to high-premium cases and magnetic accessories in the first week. Beneficiaries are accessory manufacturers who first obtain dimensional tolerances and retail channels that can turn the foldable device into a status symbol in the Chinese market, while the burden falls on contract manufacturers with slow ramp-up and users who purchased early cases without hinge protection.

Source: Public Information