New rumor suggests foldable iPhone could be priced as low as $1,800, but we're not buying it

Apple's foldable iPhone, which is expected to debut later in 2026, is apparently set to be cheaper than some were predicting, at least according to one report - though there's another nugget from the grapevine that appears to contradict this idea somewhat.

The former suggestion comes from UBS, as highlighted by Fortune (via TechRadar), which concluded that based on a teardown and cost analysis of Samsung's Z Fold SE, the foldable iPhone could come in around 4% cheaper to make.

UBS believes this could mean Apple can price the device at between $1,800 to $2,000 in the US, which is a good deal lower than the rumored (up to) $2,400 price tag which has been floating around previously.

Obviously, we need to be very cautious about such assertions, and as TechRadar points out, at the same time, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has chipped in with speculation that Apple is going to use Samsung Display's (SDC) crease-free folding solution for the screen (see the above post on X).

Why does that matter? Because it's a sophisticated and somewhat pricey solution, with a fancy 'display metal plate' as the hinge mechanism to facilitate the folding action, one which will do well in terms of stress and not ending up with a visible crease on the screen over time.

At least that's the theory, and if true, the quality Apple is aiming for here - in an unsurprising manner - doesn't fit too well with the hint that pricing will end up more reasonable (speaking relatively, of course - a foldable iPhone was always going to be a seriously premium proposition).

We're of the opinion that if a phone is priced at two grand, or maybe a bit over, we'd rather have the latter and some watertight solutions in terms of quality for the fiddly folding bits, as opposed to a slightly more affordable price tag. After all, what good will a slick folding smartphone be if it ends up with a serious blemish on the screen?