There’s never been any doubt that next year’s iPhone Fold is going to be an extremely expensive device, but a small detail in a report published yesterday provides a further steer on what to expect.
We’ve so far seen pricing estimates in the $1,800 to $2,500 range, and yesterday’s report may be one reason to expect something closer to the higher end …
We already knew it would be expensive
Folding phones are expensive, period. You only have to look at the Android Market to get an idea of pricing.
Even flip phones, which are the cheapest option, are at least as expensive as the iPhone 17 Pro:
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: $1,100
- Motorola Razr Ultra: $1,300
But the iPhone Fold is going to be a book-style device, which are substantially more expensive:
- Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold: $1,500
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: $2,000
Apple’s model certainly isn’t going to be any cheaper than its competitors, and is likely to be more expensive.
Yes, those are list prices and deals are available. However, it’s much harder to find deals on new iPhones (other than being locked into a lengthy carrier plan which recovers the price difference over time), so list prices are a reasonable guide.
But yield rates could be crucial
Earlier reports indicated that Apple had raised the bar on most of the folding phones we’ve seen to date.
The two issues reviewers have complained about when it comes to Android models is a very visible crease in the display and a hinge mechanism with questionable robustness. Apple is reported to have rejected numerous display samples from Samsung due to the visible crease, and to have eventually decided to put its own designers on the case.
That alone suggests that Apple is using a more expensive display technology than most of its competitors, with likely consequences for pricing. A report yesterday added another reason for pessimism on this front: yield rates.
Throughout development and trial production of the iPhone Fold, The Information reports that Apple is “encountering a high level of defects” in the display.
While the report does go on to say that the company was not surprised by this, it does provide a further indication that providing a display of this quality is extremely challenging and therefore expensive.
Apple often sets very high standards for components, resulting in relatively high failure rates, but is sometimes able to use components that don’t match the desired spec – as we’ve seen with binned chips. However, if a display fails to live up to the company’s standards, then it will have to be discarded, driving up the average production cost.
We may need to brace ourselves for an iPhone fold price close to the higher end of expectations.
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