iPhone Fold could be cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or 8
The iPhone Fold could cost about 4% less to manufacture than the China-exclusive Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition from last year.
This is likely possible with smaller screens and less emphasis on sleekness than Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an exquisite foldable phone, but its $2,000 price likely makes it undesirable to many. While Apple is expected to enter the segment in late 2026, it could surprise us with relatively more appealing pricing.
Investment firm UBS recently shared an analysis of the iPhone Fold, including crucial information from the supply chain that could help determine the pricing of Apple's first book-style foldable. In a note titled 'Unfolding the implications of an iPhone Fold launch' (via Fortune), UBS analyst Jimmy Yoon predicts the potential bill of materials (BOM) for the book-style foldable version of the iPhone, which could impact its price.
Referring to a Galaxy Z Fold SE (presumably, the sleek China-exclusive Special Edition that Samsung launched last year), Yoon notes the BOM was $790. Since the globally unveiled Galaxy Z Fold 7 features similar elegant hardware and a newer processing platform — the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, the manufacturing cost is only expected to have shot upward. Further, the rumored return of the S Pen next year could help Samsung justify an even higher price for the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Similarly, the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold is also expected to be priced above $2,000.
Comparing the Galaxy Z Fold with the awaited iPhone Fold, the analyst predicts that the latter's BOM could be roughly 4% lower, at $759. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's BOM was estimated (via Apple Insider) to be only $485 at the time of its launch last year.
The analyst says Apple is expected to save costs on the memory (or RAM), chipset, and camera modules. It could also ditch super-premium materials that would otherwise increase the manufacturing costs for the folding hinge and housing. For these components, Apple is rumored to rely on titanium for the frame and a mysterious 'liquid metal' for the hinge.
Notably, Samsung uses an advanced aluminum alloy for the chassis. Meanwhile, the hinge is made from Grade 4 titanium, which is the strongest form of 'commercially pure' titanium and allows the hinge to be lightweight while ensuring the highest strength. Titanium grades 5 and upwards (which go up to 38) are available in alloy form and contain other elements such as aluminum, iron, vanadium, etc., which add more durability but also increase the weight.
Based on the lower BOM, Yoon forecasts the iPhone Fold could be priced between $1,800 and $2,000, making it a tad more attractive than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This estimation also beats previous analyses that suggested a much higher price for the foldable iPhone.
Despite expectations that Apple will set a more attractive price for the iPhone Fold, Samsung is set to benefit from the launch initially, as one of the chief suppliers for foldable displays. LG's display arm may soon add to the supply, allowing Apple to diversify its pool of vendors.
Other measures that Apple could take to cut back its production costs include opting for a smaller inner display and limiting back cameras to just two instead of three.
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