Apple may have considered including a short, thick Apple Pencil-like stylus with its first foldable iPhone. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple investigated a stylus accessory for the foldable iPhone, but the company canceled it before release. Apple’s stylus would have attached to the side of the phone and charged via wireless induction when not in use. While Apple eventually killed the project, the company apparently seriously considered including a stylus with its first foldable smartphone. Gurman didn’t say what convinced Apple to kill the project, but the fact that the company even considered it is interesting. Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs famously derided the idea of a stylus for iOS devices. In his keynote presentation for the original iPhone in 2007, Jobs said that a stylus would be an inconvenience because users would have to remember to put it away after using it. Apple may have thought twice about that viewpoint when it came time to design the foldable-iPhone, however.
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Apple’s Foldable iPhone Would be Much Bigger Than Standard
The reason why Apple may want a stylus for its first foldable iPhone has to do with the phone’s expected size. Apple’s foldable iPhone is expected to have an approximately 8-inch display when opened, much bigger than the 6.7-inch displays on current iPhones. That is a significant difference, and it makes a stylus less of a burden to include with the phone. The larger foldable-iPhone screen would be useful for more tasks than a regular iPhone. For example, someone using the foldable iPhone in its open position could use the extra space to write notes or draw images with a stylus.
Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Ultra Is Taking Shape
While Apple has not officially announced the foldable iPhone, insiders expect that it will use an “iPhone Ultra” naming convention when it is officially unveiled. Rumors suggest that Apple’s foldable iPhone will use a passport-fold design to reveal an approximately 8-inch display. That would put Apple in the same class as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, which uses a similar folding design to show off a large 7.5-inch display. Further reports suggest the foldable iPhone will have a 5.5-inch cover display, a cutting-edge hinge mechanism to reduce crease visibility, and a dual-camera setup on the back. It will also come in two colors, White and Black, and likely use Apple’s newest A20 Pro silicon chip.
Apple’s Foldable Could Be the Main Event
Apple is expected to officially unveil the foldable iPhone during the Apple Surprise and Shine product launch on 9 th September 2026. The event is also expected to include information about the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5. Apple may not have officially announced a foldable iPhone, but the company has been experimenting with foldable display technology for some time. One report suggested that Apple engineers have been testing a stylus accessory for the foldable iPhone. This would be a wireless-charging Apple Pencil that attaches to the side of the phone when it’s not in use. Samsung already does that with its Galaxy Z Fold and S Pen.
Samsung inspired Apple’s Foldable Design?
Samsung has long used its foldable Galaxy Z smartphones to promote its productivity-focused approach to Android smartphones — and Apple may have taken inspiration from Samsung’s approach when it came to its own foldable design. A stylus accessory for the foldable iPhone would have given Apple a productivity-focused option, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold smartphones. Apple’s wireless charging approach to the stylus would have been consistent with the company’s general approach to accessories. Apple typically does not make accessories for its own products — but the company has repeatedly tried to make its existing accessories easier to use. Charging the Apple stylus by attaching it to the side of the phone would be more convenient than using a separate charging cable or remembering to put it back in the phone when it’s fully charged.
Apple’s Foldable Could be the Main Event
Apple’s foldable iPhone will likely redefine the company’s approach to its flagship product. While Apple has a long history of making larger iPhones, none of them have used foldable screens. If Apple can successfully implement a larger, approximately 8-inch screen on its foldable iPhone using a high-end hinge mechanism, it would be the biggest change to the company’s standard iPhone form factor since the introduction of the 6.1-inch “iPhone SE” in 2019. There is also historical irony in the fact that Apple’s foldable iPhone may include an Apple stylus. Apple executives used to believe that nobody wanted a stylus for an iPhone. Now, they apparently want one badly enough that they investigated how one might attach it to the side of a foldable iPhone.
