Leaks: Apple foldable iPhone to have 5.3-inch external and 7.8-inch internal displays

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is being described in fresh reports as a book-style device with a 5.3-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal screen. Macworld said those dimensions were part of the latest analyst-backed specifications for Apple’s first folding phone, while IBTimes Australia said the device was being prepared for a possible September 2026 launch alongside higher-end iPhone 18 models. (macworld.com) The reports do not amount to an Apple announcement. Apple has not publicly confirmed a foldable iPhone, its display sizes, launch timing or branding, and the coverage is based on supply-chain reporting and analyst claims rather than company filings or product teasers. (macworld.com) ### Why are the 5.3-inch and 7.8-inch numbers getting attention? Macworld said the latest leak points to a 5.3-inch screen when the device is closed and a 7.8-inch display when it is unfolded. That would place the product between a conventional iPhone and a small tablet, with the inner screen approaching iPad mini territory, according to the publication’s description of the device class. (macworld.com) A 7.8-inch inner panel has appeared in earlier foldable-iPhone reporting as well. 9to5Mac, citing TrendForce in a later report, said Apple’s first foldable phone was expected to feature a 7.8-inch internal display and an outer display in roughly the 5.5-inch range, suggesting the new numbers fit an already circulating range rather than a one-off rumor. (macworld.com) ### What does “book-style” mean in these reports? IBTimes Australia said the foldable is rumored to use a book-style design, meaning it opens like a small book rather than flipping vertically like a clamshell phone. Macworld has used the same framing in broader coverage of Apple’s foldable plans, describing a device that opens to a wider inner workspace. (macworld.com) That matters because the book-style category is the one Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line occupies. The comparison is implicit in several reports that frame Apple’s entry as a premium large-screen foldable rather than a smaller nostalgia-style flip phone. (9to5mac.com) ### How firm is the September 2026 timing? IBTimes Australia said Apple was preparing the foldable for a potential September 2026 launch alongside iPhone 18 Pro models. Macworld separately said Apple’s first foldable iPhone was expected to launch in September 2026, and another IBTimes Australia report said supply-chain and analyst predictions pointed to a September announcement with shipments later in 2026 or early 2027. (ibtimes.com.au) The timing still sits in the rumor category. 9to5Mac’s foldable-iPhone roundup said analyst Jeff Pu expected mass production of a foldable iPhone in late 2026, which would broadly align with a late-2026 unveiling but does not by itself confirm a September event appearance. (macworld.com) ### What else are reports saying about positioning and price? Macworld said the device was likely to sit at the top end of Apple’s lineup and could carry “iPhone Ultra” branding, while IBTimes Australia also described the foldable as a premium product and said some reports put the price above $2,000. Those details remain speculative and vary by outlet. (ibtimes.com.au) Earlier Macworld coverage also said Apple was trying to solve common foldable complaints such as the visible crease, a detail that has surfaced repeatedly in supply-chain rumor coverage around the project. (9to5mac.com) ### What should readers watch next? September 2026 is the next key date in these reports because that is when Macworld and IBTimes Australia say Apple could introduce the foldable beside iPhone 18 Pro models. Until Apple issues invitations, product pages or regulatory filings tied to the device, the 5.3-inch and 7.8-inch specifications remain part of the leak cycle rather than confirmed hardware details. (macworld.com 1) (macworld.com 2)