Retro styling plus lessons learned from the modern flip phone industry combine. Will Apple’s typical reticence to jump on a trend early pay off?

Rumors about Apple's first foldable iPhone have been swirling for years. Though competitors like Samsung, Google, and OnePlus have already released a few generations of foldables, Apple has yet to do the same.

The long wait for Apple’s first foldable might be coming to an end. The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a decent track record when it comes to predicting the company’s movements, has penned a long blog post revealing his expectations for the device.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s first folding iPhone is “expected to retail above $2,000 and $2,500.” That would make it the most expensive iPhone ever made and rival some high-end MacBook Pro configurations. It’s also more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold6, which retails for $1,600.

Phone Fold could feature Touch ID, be thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold, and launch by the end of next year. Here's what a leak reveals.

Apple could ship its first foldable smartphone next year, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities who closely monitors the company’s supply chain. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment early on Thursday.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is believed to have been working on a foldable iPhone for the past several years. And while the tech giant has yet to launch one, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes it could come next year.