CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone, widely anticipated for a 2026 debut, appears poised to address one of the biggest drawbacks in current foldable smartphones: the visible crease on the inner display. Multiple supply chain leaks and analyst reports from early 2026 indicate the device will boast a significantly reduced or “nearly invisible” crease, potentially setting a new standard in the category.

The foldable iPhone, often referred to as the iPhone Fold, remains in development with mass production of key components — including the crease-minimizing display panels — slated to begin in May 2026, according to recent leaks from Chinese social media accounts and supply chain insiders. Samsung Display is expected to supply the OLED panels, building on advancements showcased at CES 2026 where Samsung demonstrated a “crease-less” foldable OLED alongside its Galaxy Z Fold series.

Leaker Fixed Focus Digital, citing industry perspectives on Weibo, stated in mid-March 2026 that the foldable iPhone’s screen will achieve “flatness exceeding that of many currently available domestically produced foldable screen models.” The source emphasized that the crease will be “flatter and less visible” than competitors, with some interpretations suggesting it could “almost completely disappear” when unfolded.

Supporting details emerged from earlier leaks. In February 2026, Fixed Focus Digital reported the crease depth at under 0.15mm and the fold angle below 2.5 degrees — metrics indicating a shallow, smooth transition across the fold line. A smaller crease depth and angle make the line far less noticeable to the eye and touch compared to typical foldables, where creases often exceed 0.2-0.3mm and create sharper angles.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for accurate Apple supply chain predictions, has aligned with these claims. In reports from early 2026, Kuo described a book-style foldable with a 7.8-inch inner display and 5.5-inch outer screen, emphasizing Apple’s pursuit of a “crease-free” or “nearly invisible” crease “regardless of cost.” He noted Apple shifted from a fully custom display to adopting Samsung’s laser-drilled metal plate technology — supplied by Fine M-Tec — which disperses bending stress to prevent permanent creasing.

This approach leverages microperforations and viscoelastic materials to distribute fold stress, a method Samsung highlighted at CES 2026 with panels showing “no crease at all” in demos. Kuo indicated the iPhone Fold’s structure, lamination and materials would differ slightly due to Apple’s custom design, but the core tech draws from Samsung’s advancements.

The crease reduction stems from Apple’s deliberate delay in entering the foldable market. For years, the company held back, prioritizing a premium experience without the visible fold line that plagues Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, Google Pixel Fold and other devices. Reports from late 2025 and early 2026, including from UDN and supply chain sources, confirm Apple developed a “new material property” to eliminate or minimize the crease, aligning with its reputation for refusing to ship products until meeting high standards.

Mass production timelines support a fall 2026 launch, likely alongside the iPhone 18 series in September. Leakers like Instant Digital and others peg display panel production for May 2026, with full device assembly following in July or later. This cadence fits Kuo’s prediction of a late-2026 rollout, though some earlier forecasts suggested possible delays to 2027.

Pricing remains speculative but points to a premium tier. Estimates range from $1,999 to $2,400 or higher, reflecting advanced materials, hinge engineering — possibly using liquid metal for durability — and Apple’s positioning. The device is expected to feature high-end specs, including dual 48-megapixel cameras, an A-series chip (likely A20 Pro), and iOS optimizations for multitasking on the larger inner screen.

While no official confirmation exists from Apple, the convergence of leaks from reliable sources like Kuo, Ross Young (display analyst) and Chinese tipsters builds confidence. Young’s prior forecasts and CES 2026 glimpses of Samsung’s tech reinforce the narrative of a breakthrough display.

If realized, the minimal-crease iPhone Fold could redefine foldables, offering a seamless tablet-like experience in phone form without the distracting fold line. Competitors have improved creases over generations — Samsung’s latest models show shallower lines — but Apple’s approach may achieve the closest to “crease-free” yet seen.

As development progresses toward mass production, attention turns to real-world durability, hinge reliability and everyday usability. With prototypes reportedly deep in testing, the foldable iPhone’s success will hinge on delivering the flawless screen Apple demands.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warnings to 97 auto groups around the country, reminding them their advertised prices must be the total price, inclusive of all mandatory fees, that consumers will have to pay.

The FTC said its letters encouraged auto dealers to review their advertising and pricing practices to ensure that advertised prices include all fees consumers must pay when buying a vehicle. 

It said that, at minimum, it includes evaluating advertised prices to ensure they match actual prices charged to consumers. The agency added it will continue to monitor the marketplace and will take action as warranted to ensure compliance with the FTC Act and other rules.

DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH LIVE NATION IN ANTITRUST CASE

“The Trump-Vance FTC is committed to preventing auto dealers from misleading consumers with low advertised prices and then adding on mandatory fees at the end of the purchasing process,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. 

“The FTC will remain focused on monitoring auto dealerships to ensure that the market functions efficiently and competitors are transparently competing on price.”

The FTC sent letters to 97 auto dealerships in a push to promote price transparency. (iStock)

The agency said the letters to auto dealers are part of the FTC’s broader efforts to ensure price transparency across multiple markets, including rental housing, ticketing and hotels, grocery and delivery services and auto sales and leasing.

The FTC’s efforts aim to support affordability in the marketplace by ensuring that consumers only pay the advertised price for products and services and don’t face undisclosed fees, hidden charges or other illegal conduct.

“When consumers do not know the true price of a car — or any product — consumers and others suffer related consequences, including that consumers cannot comparison-shop and make informed decisions, sellers trying to deal honestly with consumers are put at a competitive disadvantage, and the market cannot operate efficiently,” a template version of the warning letter posted on the FTC’s website explained.

FTC CHAIR TOUTS ‘HUGE WIN FOR AMERICAN WORKERS’ AFTER WALMART AGREES TO $100M SETTLEMENT OVER DRIVER PAY

The FTC informed nearly 100 auto dealerships that it’s examining dealers’ pricing practices. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The letters the FTC sent to the auto dealers offered several examples of illegal pricing practices in the auto industry.

Those include advertising a price that doesn’t reflect all required fees, advertising a price that reflects rebates or discounts that aren’t available to all consumers and advertising a price that fails to take into account the amount of an additional required down payment.

They also include conditioning the advertised price on consumers using dealer financing, requiring consumers to buy additional items not reflected in the advertised price and advertising unavailable or non-existent vehicles.

NEW FTC CHAIR ANDREW FERGUSON PREVIEWS TRUMP ADMIN’S PLANS FOR THE AGENCY

The FTC told dealers to confirm that their advertised prices match the actual sales price. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The FTC’s template letter informs the recipient that the agency is concerned that the recipient may be engaging in one or more of those practices.

It also encourages the recipient to “review your practices, including by making sure the prices you advertise include all required fees and charges aside from required government charges, to ensure you are complying with applicable laws. This would include, at a minimum, evaluating your advertised prices and actual prices and confirming they match.”

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The template letter adds that the notice “is not intended to be a comprehensive statement of concerns that may exist about your dealership or dealership group” and it also isn’t intended to “represent any conclusions on whether your dealership or dealership group is engaging in these practices.”

Japan’s Nikkei 225 slumped 2.4% ahead of a rate decision while a broader gauge of Asian shares also fell more than 1.3% as investors trimmed risk. US futures edged lower after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both declined 1.4% Wednesday.

Brent crude rose above $111 per barrel as strikes between Iran and Israel on critical energy facilities, which included damage to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant in Qatar, raised concerns of a more lasting impact from the conflict.

Treasuries sold off across the curve on Wednesday, pushing yields higher and lifting the dollar after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Iran conflict has added fresh uncertainty to the inflation outlook, making the path for interest rates harder to gauge. Officials left rates unchanged and continued to expect one cut this year.

“There is little doubt that higher oil prices are starting to have a broader impact, and with volatility elevated, headline risk remains ever present,” Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group, wrote in a note. “The Fed meeting was largely a non-event, but once again it is developments in the energy complex that are driving cross-asset flows.”

Live Events

Beyond the focus of the war, concerns over the health of the private credit market continued to play out. S&P Global Ratings lowered its outlook on Cliffwater LLC’s flagship private credit fund to negative, citing elevated redemption requests. Pacific Investment Management Co. is staying away from private credit loans being put up for sale over quality concerns, its president Christian Stracke said.
Powell’s comments prompted traders to scale back expectations for rate cuts this year, reinforcing a higher-for-longer rate outlook amid volatility in energy markets.The yield on two-year Treasuries steadied on Thursday after jumping 10 basis points to 3.77% in the previous session. Traders are pricing in only about 15 basis points worth of Fed easing this year, less than one full quarter-point cut.

In economic forecasts released with their decision, Fed officials raised their outlook for inflation in 2026 to 2.7% from 2.4%. Notably, they saw the core measure — which excludes volatile food and energy categories — also rising to 2.7%.

“The Fed didn’t move today — but it didn’t need to,” said Gina Bolvin, president of Bolvin Wealth Management Group. “This is a central bank that’s comfortable waiting, watching, and staying flexible. One projected cut tells you everything: the Fed is not in a rush, and neither should investors be.”

Other major businesses across the country also deemed as critical, such defence firms, transport companies, and cyber security companies, have their own detailed contingency plans to follow in the event of crisis, both as a result of conflict with other countries, and challenges such as natural disasters.

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Grubhub is launching New Jersey’s first-ever commercial drone-powered food delivery service, the company announced last Wednesday.

The service, which will run for three months as a test program, will operate out of Green Brook Township, located one hour southwest of New York City. 

The food ordering marketplace will partner with autonomous drone company Dexa to deliver meals directly from a local Wonder food hall operated by its parent company. These Wonder facilities function as high-tech kitchens where staff assemble and finish dishes pre-prepared by its numerous restaurant brand partners, helping streamline the ordering process.

The drone service is expected to deliver food faster than traditional methods and comes at no additional cost beyond standard delivery and service fees, the Chicago-based company said.

AMAZON LAUNCHES 1-HOUR AND 3-HOUR DELIVERY OPTIONS WITH NEW TIERED PRICING STRUCTURE FOR CUSTOMERS

A Dexa drone takes off next to a Wonder food hall location. (Grubhub / Fox News)

“This service is a glimpse into the future of how autonomous technology will help restaurants and retailers serve customers at a completely new level,” CEO of Dexa Beth Flippo said in a statement. 

Customers can use the Grubhub app to order from the local Wonder location, which offers 15 different restaurant concepts prepared in a single location, and can specifically opt for drone delivery.

AMAZON EXPANDS SAME-DAY DELIVERY SERVICE TO INCLUDE PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS IN OVER 1,000 CITIES

A “Grubhub” branded drone flies across a city. (Grubhub / Fox News)

Dexa’s AI-operated drone, the DE-2020, will then take off and fly along approved paths designed to prioritize safety while minimizing noise and other community disruptions. 

Once it reaches the customer, instead of landing, it will safely lower the order to the ground using a controlled tether system.

The drone company’s flight crews will also verify that the food is correctly packaged and secured before taking off, Grubhub said.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The Grubhub logo on a smartphone in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Friday, July 8, 2022. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Through the Grubhub platform, diners can also monitor food delivery using real-time GPS tracking and arrival notifications.  

After the three-month trial at Green Brook, Grubhub will then evaluate the program’s success and consider expanding the service to other nearby restaurants. 

Columbia Threadneedle Investments is a leading global asset management group that provides a broad range of actively managed investment strategies and solutions for individual, institutional and corporate clients around the world. Columbia Threadneedle Investments is the global asset management group of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP). For more information please visit columbiathreadneedleus.com.