Other A Foldable iPhone will Flop

[orsev]

I think that the problem with trying to debate with OP here is a problem we face everyday on most forums. A lot of users cannot fathom that someone might use a device differently to them, or have a completely different use case / opinion to them. In my view, the point of forums is to debate these matters, and see how other users utilise and experience the same devices that you use, which will open a given user up to new perspectives. I've dug into the post history and most, if not all of the content there is inflammatory and a trend of refusing to budge on points they made. The fold will do fine, whether it's a 'niche' or not. It might not be for you, or the next person, but the people that want it and have a use case for it will enjoy it for sure.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

I think the Fold is going to be very interesting, and of course we don’t know a lot about it yet. However, we already know that it could be two updated Air’s bolted together. 9to5Mac have suggested that it will be thinner than two Airs put together which means it would possibly still be thinner than a Pro Max.
I cannot see how there can be any way than it will be Apple‘s most powerful phone because of the thinness. Very much like the Air, I very much doubt that it will have the best battery life or the best cameras as there will be no way that it could compete with the Pro 18 models in terms of pure ability and battery life.

 

[klmiles61]

A foldable iPhone will flop. Just like the Apple Vision Pro (AVP), it will be a niche product with limited appeal — not the next big thing. Yes, I know there will be a small brigade of you ready to jump in and tell me they want one, and therefore everyone must want one too. But personal desire doesn’t equal market demand.

When Apple announced the AVP, I made the case here on the forums that it would fail to gain general consumer interest. Not because it’s not impressive tech — it is. But because it lacks broad utility and solves no pressing problem for most people. The same logic applies to a foldable iPhone. Here’s why.

The main reasons I listed why the Apple Vision Pro would be a niche product right after it was announced:

• It’s an awkward form factor — wearing ski goggles on your face is not how most people want to interact with the world.
• It simulates reality poorly. The highest-fidelity version of reality is… reality.
• It doesn’t solve a widespread problem, and instead creates new ones: isolation, weight, cost, battery life, etc.
• It competes with — but doesn’t outperform — existing Apple devices like iPads, iPhones, and Macs.
• In short, it has no “reason to live” as a mainstream product other than niche applications.

Now apply the same logic to a foldable iPhone:

• Compromised form factor: it’s essentially two phones sandwiched together. Thicker. Heavier. Awkward. No matter how sleek Apple tries to make it, the ergonomics will suffer.
• Display trade-offs: to fold, the screen needs to be plastic — not glass and optics will be degraded. That means lower durability, more scratches, and likely a visible crease, even if faint.
• No clear productivity gain: it won’t be large enough to replace an iPad Pro for serious work or multitasking. It’s not going to make spreadsheets, document editing, or design work better.
• It solves nothing: nobody is asking for this. It doesn’t address a real consumer painpoint. It adds complexity to a form factor that’s already perfected: the slab phone.
• It’s outclassed by existing devices: iPhones are great at being phones. iPads are great at being tablets. Laptops are great at being computers. A foldable iPhone is a master of none.

Yes, I know some of you will say: “But I want one!”

Sure. And that’s fine. Enthusiasts like us often love cutting-edge technology. But if you look at the reasons above, this device has niche appeal at best. It will not capture mainstream consumer demand. Just like AVP, it’ll be a showcase product — a status symbol, a curiosity — not a mainstream device.

I suspect Apple is putting out controlled leaks to throw off the competition and has no intention of releasing a foldable iPhone. If they actually do release such a device, they will have lost the plot.

I personally have no reasons to buy a fold. We went down this road back in the days of the original smartphones. Back then they sorta made since in order to prevent butt dialing someone due to the buttons on the phone. Since owning an iPhone, I haven't butt dial a single person. I agree it will be a very niche market for it and personally the way Apple goes about things like this it will be way over priced.

But, while i have no desire for it. It appears many others do. Not sure I will get their reasoning other than a larger screen when they want access to it. Other than that it has no appeal to me. I have iPhone and iPad Air M3 13" I have no desire to walk around with a fold to spend useless dollars on something just to have it. If Apple decides not to produce one, I don't think it will affect them all that much I mean Foldable smartphones have been out for a while now and its not hurting Apple's bottom line.

I have seen maybe three people who owned one and personally I could not get over the way the screen looked with the obvious center crease. So, for me an iPhone fold is not in my plans.

 

[Silvestru Hosszu]

1980s? Ridiculous. Lawyers have things called evidence, and Books of Authorities, etc. that are required to be in paper format in many places.

You just proved that you know really nothing about the modern legal profession.
1. Business lawyers DO NOT carry hefty files and evidence with them.
2. A very small part of lawyering takes place in a Courtroom (where in your universe everyone has to carry 20 kg of paper).
3. At least in Europe digital documents (signed with cryptographic signature) are the rule in any at least moderately significant commercial transaction.
4. It is spectacularly convenient to be able to take out of your pocket a foldable and to rapidly check a document at a business lunch for example.

Should I continue?!
I think not.

You are not interested in any kind of answers to your questions.
Many people contributed with detailed and comprehensive answers.
You just ignored it and asked the same question again and again.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

You just proved that you know really nothing about the modern legal profession.
1. Business lawyers DO NOT carry hefty files and evidence with them.
2. A very small part of lawyering takes place in a Courtroom (where in your universe everyone has to carry 20 kg of paper).
3. At least in Europe digital documents (signed with cryptographic signature) are the rule in any at least moderately significant commercial transaction.
4. It is spectacularly convenient to be able to take out of your pocket a foldable and to rapidly check a document at a business lunch for example.

Should I continue?!
I think not.

You are not interested in any kind of answers to your questions.
Many people contributed with detailed and comprehensive answers.
You just ignored it and asked the same question again and again.

He also proved that he knows nothing about development, despite apparently being “an expert at software development who has worked for both Microsoft and Apple over the past decade”… who seriously tried to use the argument that the folding iPhone would fail because “it doesn’t run iPadOS”.
As if literally everyone who knows anything about Apple and especially about software development isn’t already aware that iOS and iPadOS are fundamentally the exact same operating system with a different marketing name, down to the build number being exactly the same with every single update and in fact every beta as well.

 

[Arran]

He also proved that he knows nothing about development, despite apparently being “an expert at software development who has worked for both Microsoft and Apple over the past decade”…

Yeah, that didn't sound credible: Most responses seemed shallow and disengaged from the discussion.

Good topic but, alas, another to add to my ignore list.

 

[The_Auryn]

Ok. Now my question is, will you be happy with a plastic screen and a squared off aspect ratio? If you’re travelling, why not have a dedicated iPad in your bag? And iPads will work with solid keyboards and multi-touch trackpads and runs iPadOS, etc. so a person can choose to work on a plane if they want.

I'd have to see it first regarding screen quality and aspect ratio. As for having a dedicated ipad in my traveling bag, it's a question of space (especially when traveling internationally). I'd rather carry one device instead of two. Back in the day, I had an iPhone 5s. I also had an iPad Mini for reading news, playing games, etc. When I updated to the iPhone 6s+ with its larger screen, I never used my iPad Mini again. The larger iPhone had made the Mini irrelevant.

 

[Cape Dave]

A foldable iPhone will flop. Just like the Apple Vision Pro (AVP), it will be a niche product with limited appeal — not the next big thing. Yes, I know there will be a small brigade of you ready to jump in and tell me they want one, and therefore everyone must want one too. But personal desire doesn’t equal market demand.

When Apple announced the AVP, I made the case here on the forums that it would fail to gain general consumer interest. Not because it’s not impressive tech — it is. But because it lacks broad utility and solves no pressing problem for most people. The same logic applies to a foldable iPhone. Here’s why.

The main reasons I listed why the Apple Vision Pro would be a niche product right after it was announced:

• It’s an awkward form factor — wearing ski goggles on your face is not how most people want to interact with the world.
• It simulates reality poorly. The highest-fidelity version of reality is… reality.
• It doesn’t solve a widespread problem, and instead creates new ones: isolation, weight, cost, battery life, etc.
• It competes with — but doesn’t outperform — existing Apple devices like iPads, iPhones, and Macs.
• In short, it has no “reason to live” as a mainstream product other than niche applications.

Now apply the same logic to a foldable iPhone:

• Compromised form factor: it’s essentially two phones sandwiched together. Thicker. Heavier. Awkward. No matter how sleek Apple tries to make it, the ergonomics will suffer.
• Display trade-offs: to fold, the screen needs to be plastic — not glass and optics will be degraded. That means lower durability, more scratches, and likely a visible crease, even if faint.
• No clear productivity gain: it won’t be large enough to replace an iPad Pro for serious work or multitasking. It’s not going to make spreadsheets, document editing, or design work better.
• It solves nothing: nobody is asking for this. It doesn’t address a real consumer painpoint. It adds complexity to a form factor that’s already perfected: the slab phone.
• It’s outclassed by existing devices: iPhones are great at being phones. iPads are great at being tablets. Laptops are great at being computers. A foldable iPhone is a master of none.

Yes, I know some of you will say: “But I want one!”

Sure. And that’s fine. Enthusiasts like us often love cutting-edge technology. But if you look at the reasons above, this device has niche appeal at best. It will not capture mainstream consumer demand. Just like AVP, it’ll be a showcase product — a status symbol, a curiosity — not a mainstream device.

I suspect Apple is putting out controlled leaks to throw off the competition and has no intention of releasing a foldable iPhone. If they actually do release such a device, they will have lost the plot.

I agree 100%. I call BS on Apple's alleged "leaks" about the folding phone.

 

[Fraud Goblin]

I don't want to say it'll flop outright, I do think there's more of a market for foldables over the Vision Pro (IMO). I just think the device will fall under the "this device is interesting" and not really like kill the Pro/Base models.

 

[dotzero123]

I love the idea of the foldable like i love the idea of the Vision Pro. Nice, but I’ll wait until it’s not ridiculously overpriced. Some will love it, some will hate it, others will wait for 2nd or 3rd generation. Nice for all to have choices.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Comparing the first foldable iPhone with the Apple Vision Pro is SILLY. Yea, you can argue that an expensive foldable iPhone would be a niche product - under the iPhone umbrella… but it would be nowhere near the niche-ness of the Vision Pro. A lot more people will buy a foldable iPhone than a vision pro. A smartphone is almost a necessity in todays world while AR goggles are definitely not.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Why? This phone will be at the peak of non necessity luxury purchase. Because they can.

Being a non essential buy, if the device is convenient enough to accomplish the specific users tasks of phone and tablet, that's all that matters.

For me, even just flipping open to have photos and files open side by side to manage and sort would be nice. Why do I need to buy a whole dedicated tablet for that.

The folding iPhone does not have a square aspect ratio, the resolutions are literally already out there dude.
“the inner folding display will have a 4:3 aspect ratio and use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, while the outer display will use a 2,088 x 1,422 resolution.”
4:3 at 7.8 inches means that unfolded the screen will be *almost identical* to the iPad Mini first through fifth generation that Apple sold from 2012 through 2021, not exactly the compromised disaster you keep making it out to be.
Also just going off of your previous comments it’s pretty clear you don’t really understand this, but…
Saying “it doesn’t run iPadOS” is just an insanely silly statement given that outside of the marketing names and some features being enabled/disabled by device, iOS and iPadOS are identical. Same version numbers, same build numbers, same applications, same developer environment, same everything. Apple giving the folding iPhone the ability to run iPad apps natively is, literally a switch flick away.
On day one, it’s likely the folding iPhone will run all iPad apps with no need for developers to even do anything.
Also, just so you know, the iPhone supports Bluetooth and external keyboards as well, so that’s not really an argument either.

Yes, the aspect ratio is squared off. That is how it can be a more standard smartphone aspect ratio folded.

Your comments about there being effectively no difference between iOS and iPadOS is absurd. iPadOS now has desktop like multi-tasking with overlapping windows, windows that resize, Stage Manager, external monitor support, trackpad support with more precise input, etc.

Current foldable smartphones have less power than dedicated tablet counterparts as well.

And as for keyboards, have fun carrying those separately because you won’t get one integrated into a case like what is available for iPad, because it wouldn’t fit a folded phone.

More compromises…

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Comparing the first foldable iPhone with the Apple Vision Pro is SILLY. Yea, you can argue that an expensive foldable iPhone would be a niche product - under the iPhone umbrella… but it would be nowhere near the niche-ness of the Vision Pro. A lot more people will buy a foldable iPhone than a vision pro. A smartphone is almost a necessity in todays world while AR goggles are definitely not.

Why would a lot more people buy a foldable phone?

 

[Pbwallstreet]

I disagree with that. The iPhone is at its basic element a phone. It's most essential tool is to make and receive phone calls, but the phone capabilities of the iPhone are probably its least used feature. People text more than they talk, they surf the web on their iPhone more than they talk and they play games on it more than they talk.

Products and devices evolve over time with new features and people then use those new features as they see fit. When the original iPhone came out it had limited use cases, those use cases have evolved over time.

Heck I would argue that one of the primary use cases NOW on the iPhone is its ability to replace most point and shoot cameras. That was not a use case when the original iPhone came out. Sure the original iPhone offered a camera, but it did not immediately create the photography market that the iPhone has created now.

All these things evolve over time, including use case. The iPhone Fold (or whatever Apple decides to call it) will expand on those use cases. They will evolve themselves over time.

People use various devices for all sorts of different tasks, and eventually settle on a device that is more practical for their needs. Prime example is the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch ceased in its usefulness and eventually went the way of the dinosaur. But why? The Touch was useful and practical and did a lot of the things that the iPhone did. The Touch took pictures, played music, surfed the web. Those are three giant use cases right there. So what was the problem?

The problem was its use cases became more limited over time. While the iPhone use cases became more expanded over time. Consumers always prefer the device that gives them more choices, not narrows those choices.

That is what the Fold will do. It will expand the already beneficial use cases of the current iPhones. That is a win/win for most people.

The iPhone never was just a phone. Steve Jobs unveiled it as three devices in one: a phone, an iPod, and an internet communications device.

I know the leap that is being made that folding it into a tablet is another logical convergence step. But it isn’t, because it makes the smartphone and tablet worse than their dedicated counterparts. The iPhone made everything it converged better.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

It's up to the individual user to decide if the compromise is a dealbreaker to them.

have fun carry those separately because you won’t get one integrated into

But then I have to carry a seperate tablet, rather then have a foldable phone that fills my tablet needs.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

You’re not reading and understanding what I have posted many times. Why does someone want a smartphone that converts into a tablet? Explain it.

Wow. Why can you not grasp that many users would like a larger display that still fits in a pocket?

 

[orsev]

Wow. Why can you not grasp that many users would like a larger display that still fits in a pocket?

Egocentrism. That or just ragebaiting for clicks.

 

[aevan]

A foldable iPhone will flop. Just like the Apple Vision Pro (AVP), it will be a niche product with limited appeal — not the next big thing. Yes, I know there will be a small brigade of you ready to jump in and tell me they want one, and therefore everyone must want one too. But personal desire doesn’t equal market demand.

When Apple announced the AVP, I made the case here on the forums that it would fail to gain general consumer interest. Not because it’s not impressive tech — it is. But because it lacks broad utility and solves no pressing problem for most people. The same logic applies to a foldable iPhone. Here’s why.

The main reasons I listed why the Apple Vision Pro would be a niche product right after it was announced:

• It’s an awkward form factor — wearing ski goggles on your face is not how most people want to interact with the world.
• It simulates reality poorly. The highest-fidelity version of reality is… reality.
• It doesn’t solve a widespread problem, and instead creates new ones: isolation, weight, cost, battery life, etc.
• It competes with — but doesn’t outperform — existing Apple devices like iPads, iPhones, and Macs.
• In short, it has no “reason to live” as a mainstream product other than niche applications.

Now apply the same logic to a foldable iPhone:

• Compromised form factor: it’s essentially two phones sandwiched together. Thicker. Heavier. Awkward. No matter how sleek Apple tries to make it, the ergonomics will suffer.
• Display trade-offs: to fold, the screen needs to be plastic — not glass and optics will be degraded. That means lower durability, more scratches, and likely a visible crease, even if faint.
• No clear productivity gain: it won’t be large enough to replace an iPad Pro for serious work or multitasking. It’s not going to make spreadsheets, document editing, or design work better.
• It solves nothing: nobody is asking for this. It doesn’t address a real consumer painpoint. It adds complexity to a form factor that’s already perfected: the slab phone.
• It’s outclassed by existing devices: iPhones are great at being phones. iPads are great at being tablets. Laptops are great at being computers. A foldable iPhone is a master of none.

Yes, I know some of you will say: “But I want one!”

Sure. And that’s fine. Enthusiasts like us often love cutting-edge technology. But if you look at the reasons above, this device has niche appeal at best. It will not capture mainstream consumer demand. Just like AVP, it’ll be a showcase product — a status symbol, a curiosity — not a mainstream device.

I suspect Apple is putting out controlled leaks to throw off the competition and has no intention of releasing a foldable iPhone. If they actually do release such a device, they will have lost the plot.

Vision Pro didn't "flop", it most likely accomplished Apple's goals. They were never going to sell a lot of these, and they knew it. But they got their foot in the door - creating a new platform. Their strategic goal is, most likely, years away from now. And the technology they researched for this product is something they most likely use for developing new products. You don't develop technology without an end product.

I think you really missed the point of it, and are missing the point of a potential foldable phone. It's not going to be something that sells a ton, most likely. But neither do super sports cars, and yet a lot of car manufacturers make them. They do it for various reasons, from pushing the limits of technology (that does trickle down to more mainstream products) to building their brand. It will be the same if Apple comes with a foldable phone. Similar with Air - I doubt they expect Air to sell more than any other iPhone - but it helps them research new tech and also brings them attention and gets people excited. It's a win win.

 

[MayaUser]

Wow. Why can you not grasp that many users would like a larger display that still fits in a pocket?

Why is this still continue? He cant understand physics or just beg for attention and it seems hes wining
Not to mention when hes comparing an outside product, a non must have product aka vision pro with an product that on its base is a must have product nowadays for everyone on this planet..

 

[sunapple]

The only way this thread is still going after 13 pages is by ignoring some of the more sensible arguments that have been made and just keep repeating some opinions stated as if they were facts. The main problem being, as I've pointed out before, a niche within the smartphone market can still be profitable, therefore it is not a flop, therefore the entire premise of "a niche is not worth getting into" is invalid.

 

[ayephoner]

The iPhone made everything it converged better.

This is completely false.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

It's up to the individual user to decide if the compromise is a dealbreaker to them.


But then I have to carry a seperate tablet, rather then have a foldable phone that fills my tablet needs.

You carry what your use case dictates. And if you need a keyboard, then that is another thing you must carry and a tablet is one item with a keyboard wrapped up in it.

 

[Complex757]

Flop is a strong word. Several companies make foldable phones, so it's an obvious market.

 

[ayephoner]

Why would a lot more people buy a foldable phone?

Because people are already buying phones. Buying the most expensive/best(?)/newest phone is a natural choice for a lot of people. Hardly anyone owns or is in the market for an AR headset.

But you already know this.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Wow. Why can you not grasp that many users would like a larger display that still fits in a pocket?

Why do they want a larger display that fits in their pocket?

Let me break this down more.

Why does someone want a car that turns into a plane?

Why does someone want a lawnmower with wings?

Why does someone want a laptop that turns into a tablet?

Why does someone want a desktop computer that folds up into a portable laptop?

Why does someone want a 50” TV that rolls into a small tube case?

Etc.

The point is, which I keep repeating: 1. These convertible devices compromise their primary and secondary function where they are worse than their dedicated versions. 2. People use a tool or a device that is purpose built and purpose designed for that purpose.

Some discussion. People do not use a 50” screen and mouse standing in line at Costco because that use case makes no sense. They use a smartphone. They may wish they would have that for what they are doing at that time (e.g., daytrading), but they need a portable device like a smartphone that has tailored interfaces and interactions for that small screen and form factor and can be used with one hand.

A tablet also doesn’t make as much sense in use cases calling for smartphone portability. There also seems to be this idea that there is such a critical demand for tablet use cases. There isn’t. Tablets peaked long ago and have always been a subset of the smartphone market.

Studies and market research shows that tablets have a narrow set of use cases for people, which has expanded a bit due to them becoming more capable for productivity. But they are more awkward to hold in the hands and less efficient to interact with because the screens are larger and require both hands to use.

If we take the use case of a person commuting for work… on a train… would they want to fold their phone out into a tablet? You may think they could be productive working on the train… What about a keyboard? That has to be a separate item for them to carry. And the tablet itself as I have repeated many times is compromised. And the tablet does have to compete with the smartphone. With the advent of larger screened smartphones, the use cases and value of a tablet got diminished. Many people don’t use or want a tablet.

The same can be said of convertible laptops. People use laptops for specific reasons. To make a convertible laptop, it compromises the laptop and tablet where it becomes worse at both of these dedicated devices.

The push for a larger display that folds into a pocket-sized device is really just the latest version of trying to make one tool do two jobs poorly: like a car that turns into a plane or a laptop that doubles as a tablet.

Dedicated devices succeed because they are purpose-built: smartphones are designed for mobility, one-handed use, and tailored interfaces, while tablets fill a narrow, secondary role that has already been diminished by larger smartphones. Forcing the two together doesn’t create a superior experience; it compromises both, leaving users with a device that is less effective than either of the dedicated versions it tries to replace.