Apple has not yet clarified whether its next foldable iPhone will be available in black, according to a dubious new rumor.
The Weibo leaker known as “Instant Digital” commented today that Apple “hasn’t even decided yet if the foldable display will be available in black,” adding pointedly: “Do they have a vendetta against the color black?” The remark suggests that black is at least under consideration, but has not been confirmed in the lineup, a particularly open question for a device that is expected to enter mass production imminently and launch as soon as September.
In February, the leaker described the device as coming in just two color options, with white being the only confirmed shade and the second unspecified. Instant Digital revisited this report in May without revisiting the color details, keeping the two-option count intact. Today’s comment does not necessarily contradict this, but introduces new uncertainty as to what the second option actually is.
Separately, Macmonde cited a supply chain source as saying the second finish will be an indigo option similar to the iPhone 17 Pro’s Deep Blue, alongside a classic silver and white model. This source also said that the device will offer fewer choices than the iPhone 18 Pro models, without bright or vibrant colors. BloombergMark Gurman of , also reported that Apple plans to “stay away from fun colors” and stick with the more traditional silver/white and space gray/black finishes.
Samsung Display’s OLED panels for the device are already entering mass production and the ramp-up is underway. Color decisions typically feed directly into manufacturing and component sourcing, all of which must be locked down well in advance of launch. For a device as complex and limited in supply as the foldable iPhone, any serious indecision at this late stage seems unlikely, so the rumor may simply indicate some opacity in the supply chain regarding the second color.
That being said, the dummy models that have surfaced so far have only been seen in white. It’s also worth noting that new premium products like the Apple Watch Ultra and Vision Pro only launched with one color option.
A limited color offering may partly reflect the practical realities of device manufacturing. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo warned that early-stage yield and ramp-up issues could limit supply at least until the end of 2026, and that the frequently cited figure of 15 to 20 million units likely reflects cumulative demand over the entire two- to three-year product life cycle, not just 2026. Adding color variants increases the number of SKUs to produce, store and allocate, which is a complication Apple has little commercial incentive to absorb when introductory pricing is expected to be tight anyway.
The approach would be broadly consistent with how Apple has previously handled launches of generational significance. The iPhone X debuted in November 2017 in just two colors, Silver and Space Gray, at a then-record starting price of $999. The iPhone XS that followed a year later added Gold to the lineup, and Apple may take the same incremental approach with the iPhone Ultra over time.
At a starting price that Gurman says will “cross the $2,000 threshold,” the foldable iPhone is unlikely to attract buyers whose purchasing decision is heavily driven by color options. This gives Apple the opportunity to keep the initial palette narrow.
The first foldable iPhone is expected to be announced in September 2026 alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max.
