Apple’s iPhones aren’t cheap. Even the “budget-friendly” iPhone 16e is priced way more than a lot of mid-range Android phones. So, when the rumors started circling that Apple would launch a foldable iPhone, we all know how that’s going to end on the price front. However, there might be some good news as Apple might have figured out a way to keep the price of the iPhone Fold down, thanks to cheaper hinge costs.
iPhone Fold price could be cheaper, thanks to hinge
According to a recent post on his blog, notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the price of the iPhone Fold could be lowered, thanks to the average selling price of the hinge Apple plans to use. The analyst claims that at mass production, the hinge could cost Apple $70-80. This is apparently cheaper than the price of $100-120 that was previously expected.
What does this mean? Obviously a lower cost means that Apple could potentially price its foldable iPhone lower than previously expected. We’re not sure how much lower the company will go. Right now, it is rumored that the foldable iPhone could cost $2,000 or even more. If the cheaper price of the hinge is true, maybe Apple could drop it to $1,800 or $1,900.
Don’t get us wrong. This is by no means cheap, but at least it will feel a bit more palatable. For those who are worried that this means Apple will use cheaper materials, don’t. The report claims that the reason for the cost reduction isn’t because of cheaper materials. It is instead due to smarter manufacturing. This is thanks to Foxconn’s production capacity and optimized assembly process. Of course, we will only know how effective Apple’s hinge is when the phone is released, so that will have to wait until next year.
What do we know so far?
According to the rumors, Apple’s foldable iPhone is said to essentially resemble two iPhone Airs side-by-side. This makes sense because ahead of the iPhone Air’s announcement in September, there were rumors that the device would act as some sort of testbed for the company’s foldable plans.
A recent rumor also claims the build will also be similar to the iPhone Air. The foldable iPhone is rumored to use a frame made out of both titanium and aluminum. This is what Apple did with the iPhone Air, which feature a titanium outer frame and an internal frame made with aluminum.
The phone is also rumored to sport a 5.5-inch external display. Its internal display measures 7.8-inches when unfoldable. Apple also might not use Face ID and will instead turn to Touch ID for security.
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