First iPhone Fold Dummy Leaks Apple’s Radical Square Design Ahead of 2026 Launch

Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone is starting to take shape. A new physical dummy model has now surfaced online, offering the clearest look yet at what the iPhone Fold could look like when it launches next year. Foldable phones are no longer new. Yet Apple’s approach appears very different.

A user known as Subsy has shared a plastic iPhone Fold model on MakerWorld. The dummy is reportedly based on leaked CAD files from Apple’s production line. While it is not a final replica, it serves as a physical reference of the expected design. And the design tells an interesting story.

A square-first approach to the iPhone Fold design

Unlike Android foldables that focus on phone-like proportions when closed, the iPhone Fold seems built around its unfolded experience. When opened, the dummy closely resembles an iPad mini in shape.

This shift changes everything. When folded, the iPhone Fold looks wider and more square than a standard iPhone. It does not aim to feel like a tall, narrow smartphone in hand. Instead, Apple appears to prioritise a balanced tablet-style display once the device is open.

As a result, the inner screen looks wider than what we see on foldables from Samsung and Google. This could make reading, browsing, and multitasking feel more natural.

Why Apple’s foldable strategy stands out

Most folding phones treat the outer display as the main screen. Apple seems to reverse that thinking.

By designing the iPhone Fold around its unfolded form, Apple could push developers to rethink app layouts. Apps may need to adapt fluidly between phone and tablet modes without breaking usability.

This approach aligns with Apple’s long-standing focus on interface consistency and developer control.

WWDC could offer early clues

Apple is unlikely to announce the iPhone Fold outright at WWDC. However, the event could still play a key role. The company may introduce new tools or UI guidelines that hint at a new screen format. Developers could receive early support for adaptive layouts designed for wider foldable displays. Apple has used this strategy before. In 2007, it previewed major shifts months ahead of actual product launches.

A foldable iPhone that breaks familiar shapes

If the leaked dummy reflects Apple’s thinking, the iPhone Fold will not chase existing trends. It will create its own category within foldables. A squarer folded phone. A tablet-first unfolded experience. And a design that challenges how users think about an iPhone.

The foldable era at Apple may be closer than it looks.