Rumor hints at Apple's aggressive iPhone Fold strategy to counter Samsung

Apple has a lot of catching up to do with Samsung in the foldable phone segment. The latter has been making them since 2019 and Apple is expected to finally launch its first iPhone Fold at some point in 2026.

A new rumor hints at the rather aggressive strategy Apple is reportedly finalizing to counter Samsung and quickly establish a foothold in the market for the iPhone Fold.

Previous reports had suggested that the iPhone Fold may be priced around $2,399, making it more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 which starts at $1,999. One would be right to question if customers will be willing to pay that premium for a first-generation device over an established competitor like the Galaxy Z Fold.

The rumor claims that Apple will price the iPhone Fold around $1,999 instead, likely matching Samsung's price tag for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which should be out by the time Apple launches this device in the latter half of 2026. It's entirely possible that Apple may end up losing money on every unit of the iPhone Fold sold.

The Cupertino-based company may also keep supply quite limited at first. Whether that may be due to the supply chain not ramping up fast enough or Apple deliberately limiting availability to drive hype, it's claimed that the initial availability will be limited and will only get better in 2027.

Samsung has adopted a similar strategy for the Galaxy Z Trifold. It's only made available in extremely limited quantities and that too in a handful of markets. Samsung hasn't made it clear if and when it will ramp up the availability of its first tri-fold phone.