Apple could be closer than expected to launching one foldable iPhone, according to The Information, referring to a person with direct knowledge. It is believed that the company is closer to launching one foldable iPad minibut a foldable iPhone could be ready for stores as soon as 2026 if it meets Apple’s strict standards.
The company’s first foldable version is expected to be proportional to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Motorola RazrPlus, with a clamshell shape that allows it to fit in a pocket when folded. The company is said to be exploring a design that folds the screen outwards so that the screen is on the outside, but that concept has obvious durability drawbacks that Apple reportedly hasn’t been able to get around.
There are apparently two different foldable iPhone designs that are in the prototype stages. Of course, companies often produce working prototypes of products and concepts that will never be sold to the public. It’s likely that Apple has made working iPhones that fold in the past. This time, the source seems convinced that Apple is looking towards production, even if the phone would not be on the calendar for this year or 2025.
Apple may have shuffled the order, placing a foldable iPad mini on top of a foldable iPhone before work. With a flexible 8-inch screen, the foldable iPad would be comparable to the current screen size for foldable tablet phones such as the Honor Magic V2 or the OnePlus Open.
There is no indication that Apple will use an external display on this device. It could just be a tablet that folds shut, and not a phone with two display options.
Analysis: Too early to tell, but it will be expensive
The most important questions about an Apple iPhone fold have not been answered, as The Information rightly points out. Why does this phone need to exist? What features would a foldable design bring to the iPhone that would force people to upgrade?
Based on the foldable design ideas that have trickled out of Apple’s headquarters, Apple’s device will have to use very expensive, high-quality, durable parts to be a viable product. In other words, it will be very expensive. The current The collapsible clamshell market has plateaued and is starting to declinebecause interest didn’t seem to catch on.
While these phones used to sell for over $1,000 in the US, the Motorola Razr Plus, my current pick for the best foldable clamshell phone now costs $699.99 with a limited-time ‘discount’ that Motorola is offering for about four months. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 is more expensive and uses high-quality internal components, such as a faster processor and more powerful cameras.
Apple’s most expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,199, and if that seems expensive, remember that Samsung has two phones, the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 5, that come at a higher price to start. Even if Apple decides to sell its iPhone at a 50% premium over the current iPhone 15 Pro, it would still be cheaper than Samsung’s most expensive foldable phone.
According to the report, Apple’s phone could launch in 2026 at the earliest with an all-new design concept that will push the price even higher than current clamshell phones. If two years seems like a long time, enough time for the price to potentially drop, I have bad news. In terms of smartphone development, two years isn’t really much time at all.
A standard upgrade to an existing smartphone, e.g. the iPhone 15 follows the iPhone 14 and typically involves 18 months of development. If Apple plans to release this phone within two years, this phone is closer to completion than an initial prototype. It’s six months from the standard launch timeline.
Apple doesn’t have time to wait for prices to drop. It’s going to launch another super expensive new product, ripped from the future, and our wallets be damned.