Apple's long-rumoured iPhone upgrade fans have been waiting for could be its most expensive yet

Apple is rumored to be caving into one highly-requested feature for their next line up of iPhones, but the 'futuristic' feature could allow for their most expensive smartphone yet.

While AI-powered Apple Intelligence software has taken the driver's seat with many of Apple's newest products, the next set of iPhones could see a major innovation on the hardware side of things that has been long awaited by fans.

Despite leading the smartphone market by a considerable margin Apple are often 'late' to a lot of the technological advancements in the space that other manufacturers include earlier on - often at a cheaper price too.

One of the biggest of these is foldable designs, which have been among major flagship releases in the Android space since Samsung released the Z Fold in September 2019.

Countless other brands have brought their own foldables to the market since then, including rival releases from Google, yet a note from one key Apple analyst could suggest that it's nearly the tech giant's time to enter the game, as per Yahoo! Tech.

Expert Ming-Chi Kuo has outlined that a new 'top-tier' iPhone is in the works that'll include a first-generation foldable design, which likely catapults the hype levels of many dedicated Apple fans through the roof.

You might have to temper your excitement for a little bit, as not only has Apple offered no official signs of this happening, Kuo has indicated that mass production won't be released until late 2026 - so probably with the iPhone 18 lineup.

On top of this, it's likely to launch as the most expensive iPhone yet with an eye-watering price tag between $2,000 and $2,500. Kuo estimates that despite this 'premium price', it's expected to "generate strong replacement demand" due to the game-changing feature.

It'll feature a 7.8-inch book-style fold design that flips outward horizontally instead of the vertical folds you might recognize from Samsung's Z Fold. It might also have to make some sacrifices despite the ballooning price, with FaceID likely scrapped due to space constraints.

Many wonder whether Apple will be able to avoid the first-generation drawbacks that have plagued many other manufacturers initial steps in the foldable world, and you can imagine that people might not be as forgiving considering the price.

While Kuo is right to expect a lot of excitement for the product when it launches, many across social media aren't as convinced with the idea, especially with how much it'll burn a hole in their pocket.

"No, I use Apple but foldable devices are meh for me," wrote one user in response to the news, adding that "iPhones already cost a lot I'm not paying $2k for that."

"The novelty has faded," added another, arguing that "a smartphone is what it is regardless of form factor."

Some remain optimistic and excited for the stronger sense of innovation though, especially when jumping from an older iPhone:

"For sure. Still on the iPhone 12. This is the type of thing that would compel me to upgrade, not just better batteries in subsequent editions of the seemingly same phone, year after year."

What it actually ends up being is still yet to be seen, and we likely won't get a peep from Apple themselves for a while, but it's probably a good idea to start saving up now!