Apple is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone at its Surprise and Shine event today, and a new survey shows exactly how big a gamble that is. CNET commissioned YouGov to poll 2,605 US adults between August 13 and 17, 2026, and the results land in an odd spot: real interest in a foldable iPhone, paired with a budget that isn’t close to what one will actually cost.
25% Want One, But That’s Not the Whole Story
A quarter of US adults say they’re interested in a foldable Apple device, likely the iPhone Ultra everyone’s been calling the iPhone Fold for the past year. Break that down by generation and the gap widens fast. Interest sits at 31% for Gen Z, 32% for millennials, 23% for Gen X, and just 12% for Boomers.
Read that as CNET’s director of content Patrick Holland does: a quarter of the country raising its hand for a phone that doesn’t exist yet, in a product category that’s stayed niche for six years, is a genuinely strong number. Holland called it what it is: “That would be a killer product debut.”
He’s not wrong. Samsung and Google have been selling foldables since 2019 and 2023 respectively, and neither has come close to convincing a quarter of the US to consider one. If Apple’s foldable lands anywhere near that number in actual pre-orders, it becomes the biggest new iPhone form factor since the Plus and Pro split.
The Budget Doesn’t Match the Rumor
Here’s the problem. Interested buyers said they’d spend an average of $781 on a foldable Apple device. Analysts are pricing the real thing at around $2,000, and some estimates go as high as $2,500.
Broken down by generation, the willingness to spend looks like this:
- Gen Z: $919 average
- Millennials: $859 average
- Gen X: $690 average
- Boomers: $572 average
Even the highest-spending group, Gen Z, lands under $1,000. That’s less than half of what Apple’s foldable is rumored to cost. It’s also worth noting these numbers sit close to what a regular iPhone 17 already costs, which tells you people are pricing a foldable like a normal upgrade, not like the premium device Apple is reportedly planning to charge for.
Foldables Used to Get Cheaper. Now They’re Going the Other Way
For years, foldable phones followed a predictable pattern: expensive at launch, cheaper every generation after. The Motorola Razr line is the clearest example. The first model launched at $1,400, and by last year a new one could be had for roughly half that before discounts.
That trend has reversed. A global memory chip shortage, some are calling it “RAMageddon,” has pushed component costs up across the board, and Apple already raised prices on several devices back in June because of it. If the iPhone Ultra really does launch near $2,000, it won’t just be an expensive foldable. It’ll be a sign that the whole category is getting more expensive, not less, right as consumer budgets are shrinking.
The RAM Shortage Is Already Changing Upgrade Plans
The price pressure isn’t limited to foldables. 41% of US adults say the RAM shortage and the resulting price hikes are affecting their iPhone upgrade plans generally, foldable or not. Some specifics from the survey:
- 22% don’t plan to upgrade anytime soon at all, regardless of what Apple ships
- 10% are actively delaying an upgrade they’d otherwise make
- 9% are holding onto their current phone longer than they’d originally planned
- 9% will only upgrade if a trade-in or carrier promotion effectively covers the cost
- 4% are considering refurbished or used models instead of buying new
- 4% are considering switching brands entirely
By generation, Boomers are the most likely to sit this out entirely at 27%, followed by Gen X at 19%, Gen Z at 21%, and millennials at 16%. Whatever Apple announces today, roughly a fifth of the country has already decided it doesn’t matter.
If You’re on the Fence About Upgrading
A few practical points worth pulling out of this survey, whether or not a foldable is on your radar:
If your current phone’s only real problem is battery life, replace the battery instead of the phone. It’s a fraction of the cost and can buy you another two to three years without a new device payment or a multiyear carrier commitment.
Timing matters more than most people think. The best pricing on phones usually shows up right when a new model launches, since retailers discount the outgoing generation, and again during the holiday sales window.
Don’t assume your carrier’s trade-in offer is the best one. Third-party resale sites will sometimes pay more for your old phone than a carrier’s trade-in credit, and you get cash rather than a value that’s locked to your next bill.
Be careful with “free phone” promotions. A carrier offering a phone worth over $1,000 at no cost almost always ties that value to account credit spread across a multiyear commitment, not a straight discount. Leave early and you’re on the hook for whatever’s left.
What This Means for Apple’s Event
Apple doesn’t need universal demand to make a foldable iPhone worth building. It needs enough of its most engaged customers, the same Gen Z and millennial buyers driving interest in this survey, to actually pull the trigger at whatever price gets announced. The 25% figure suggests the appetite is there in theory. The $781 figure suggests Apple has real work to do convincing people the price is worth it in practice.
We’ll be covering everything that comes out of today’s event, including full pricing and specs on the foldable iPhone the moment Apple confirms it. Check back for updates as the details land.
