Foldable iPhone prices are almost impossible to believe

The foldable iPhone — yes, it exists, and yes, it is coming out this year — was expected to be one of the most expensive phones ever released to the public. It is, after all, Apple that we’re talking about, the company that made a $3,499 MR (Mixed Reality) headset and a $999 monitor stand.

And though I think that you shouldn’t buy the foldable iPhone for a myriad of reasons, a recent leak makes me believe that the phone is unlikely to meet the fate of the Apple Vision Pro. In fact, if leaked foldable iPhone pricing is to be believed, there’s a pretty good chance that we will see a repeat of the Galaxy Z TriFold, which sold out in mere minutes after launch.

Foldable iPhone costs as much as Fold 7

According to leaks, the foldable iPhone will start at $1,999. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 also launched at $1,999 last year. The Fold 7 is one of the best foldable flagships that has come out recently, and for the foldable iPhone to match its pricing is insanity.

Reports claim that Apple’s foldable will start at $1,999 for the 256 GB variant, just like the Fold 7. This price will go up by $200 for each jump in storage, which means around $2,199 for the 512 GB version and $2,399 for the 1 TB model. Keep in mind that the 1 TB version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs $2,419, though the 512 GB variant is slightly cheaper than the equivalent foldable iPhone model according to these leaks.

So not only is Apple’s first foldable starting at a lower price than anyone expected, it’s also going to give its biggest rival some very tough competition. Initially, estimates put the foldable iPhone’s starting price at around $2,400, so $1,999 seems almost impossible to comprehend.

Where’s the Apple tax?

Apple makes some very expensive products, so much so that the new MacBook Neo has blown everyone’s mind and confused the entire tech industry. I’m sure most of us expected a very high price tag for the foldable iPhone, as this is the company that refused to lower the price of its new M5 Apple Vision Pro to help boost its sales figures.

Which is why I am baffled at this report. If accurate, this would mean that the foldable iPhone will cost the same as the most expensive iPhone 17 Pro Max model: the 2 TB version, which is also priced at exactly $1,999.

Is Apple really going to launch its highly anticipated foldable iPhone at this price? The company is most likely aware of how the Galaxy Z TriFold sold out at release despite its much higher $2,900 price tag. Apple fans have been waiting for a foldable iPhone for so long that they would have probably even paid Vision Pro money to get one, so why is the company pricing its most innovative phone yet at such competitive rates?

I think there is an explanation for this that actually makes some sense. But first, do you have any theories?

Get as many people through the door as possible

According to one recent report, Apple might absorb rising costs for the foreseeable future in an attempt to capture as much market share as possible. While other companies will be struggling to negotiate agreements with memory suppliers, Apple will be playing the long game, betting on making back its investments through service costs down the road.

According to very early leaks, the company plans on marketing the foldable iPhone as the next step up from the traditional Pro Max models. Industry insider Mark Gurman reckons this is Apple’s pivot towards Ultra products alongside its budding interest in budget offerings like the aforementioned Neo.

If the company can offer this supposed next step up at the same starting price as the most expensive traditional iPhone model, customers might not realize how much they’re paying. It makes the foldable iPhone seem like much more of a no-brainer upgrade than it would have if the phone started at $2,400.

This is also a completely new segment for Apple and the company might be hoping to snatch away market share from competitors. What better way to do so than to price its competing product at the exact same price as its biggest rival? Now the question is if Samsung’s Galaxy Z Wide Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 can keep their prices in this ballpark as well.