I agree that the 'selling' point is literally just to sell it. It's a market chaser. I can't imagine Apple would be developing a folding phone if others were not.
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Other A Foldable iPhone will Flop
- Thread starter Pbwallstreet
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I’m still thinking they’re putting out controlled misinformation leaks to throw off the competition. Obviously I could be wrong but if they do launch a foldable phone, I’m so convinced it will fail that this will be the last of Tim Cook.
Um...because it's a phone. The smartphone has become a ubiquitous tech product that most everyone uses everyday. Yes, a very expensive foldable smartphone will probably not sell as well as a regular smartphone... but it should sell a lot more than VR goggles like the vision pros. It's just the nature of the product. Smartphones are practically necessities in todays world. VR headsets are most certainly not. Simple as that.
True, but the fact is they are.
Clearly someone at Apple knows this product is either already profitable, or is on the path to be profitable for the company.
The same goes for the other phone manufacturers, if Samsung (as they are known to do) made one or two versions of the Fold, and then just let the product fade into irrelevancy as they have done with so many failed experiments in the past, then there would be a point.
But they are on the seventh generation, actively being marketed and sold everywhere, and have been joined by pretty much every other big player in the android market.
Motorola has one, Google has one, the majority of Chinese manufacturers have them, there is literally only one big phone manufacturer left who hasn’t joined in, and oh hey, now they’re pretty much guaranteed to join in next year.
Say what you will about previous failed tech rushes like the 3D TV or the phone projector, but those products really didn’t stick around more than like 2 to 3 years.
We are entering the eighth year of Foldables in 2026.
Eight years. They are not flukes, they are not failed experiments, they are a category of smart phone that is going on a decade of being around and being at least successful enough for the companies to keep around, keep introducing new versions of.
Clearly, something is working here.
But why? Why would someone buy a compromised smartphone and why do you think all of these people you think will buy it have any need for a tablet?
Foldable smartphones are less than 2% of the market. Sales have been up and down over the years.
Yeah, the only thing "working" here is marketing. Because people will buy ANYTHING! Ever seen a cyber truck? The marketing is so damn dialed in on anything, a person cannot buy a simple bottle of Olive Oil without being "forced" into a damn subscription. Sheeple! Make it and we will buy it because you tell us to. Sad.
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Right. @Lounge vibes 05 I'm not sure what your point is in response to what I said, as it sounds like we agree? I didn't say it's a failed category - I said it's a market chaser, a case where Apple is following competitors just to have a version in the market.
I'm getting that from their advertising. I work in advertising, and know people who have worked on their ads. And I know adveritsing strategy. This is what they were communicating in their ads.
Throw off the competition in what direction though? This isn't a make or break product, especially with everyone else in the iPhone line-up.
The Fold would make a terrible stand for its camera system, first of all if you angled the front facing camera to your face it would not only topple over but you're going to not be in the center of the picture. To use it as a stain for the rear facing cameras you don't know what picture you're taking since there's no screen there. Or do you mean the Flip?
I've done this several times before (for group photos)... I use my Galaxy Watch as a viewfinder and have the Galaxy Fold in flex mode using the rear facing camera.
Ohh okay that makes more sense. I did see it in promo pictures of people using it that way.
It’s been published over the years that Apple does have a disinformation strategy that they engage in. For instance, they may want the competition to believe they are going to create a product in a new market but in reality Apple doesn’t see value in it and has no intention of entering the market.
Another example is when they may be farther off from entering a market, but they want the competition to believe their entrance is sooner so a market gets created or increased in size: letting the competition get things going and doing early adopter heavy lifting.
I will agree with a Niche product. Have had lower back pain and surgeries that have not achieved the results of being pain free. I sat down for a demo with terrible pain after walking in Houston. The demo was great yet not an iconic movement. Ironically, after standing to leave the back pain was gone. This led me researching how this was achieved. Something other than pain medicine! Yet, how can I afford the price to of the bulky items to eliminate back pain? Pb, my agreements with you.
Did not like flip phones back in feature phone era, don't like it nowadays. For me it's overhyped overpriced DOA device.
Do we have any examples of that though? I can't think of any product roadmap rumor from the last few years especially that hasn't been true... smaller things like features and maybe launch dates by a few months, but an entirely new ID? I can't think of one.
You have no idea how many of these Apple is hoping to sell, but they are certainly not designing this phone for hundred of millions of customers. None of us will ever truly know, the closest will can guess will be from leaked reports and the supply chain experts who cover these companies, who currently say Apple expects to sell slightly more then the Fold 7 currently.
Apple has an established smartphone market. It’s hundreds of millions of users.
I give you a reason and you say “it’s not a real reason.” (It happens to me at least once a month).
You’re constantly assuming “I don’t see the appeal, so there isn’t a an appeal”. Again, there are tons of reason someone might want to use a larger screen but not carry a tablet around. Just because you think it’s an unacceptable compromise doesn’t mean everyone will.
- Business Travel – Instead of packing a phone and a tablet, a foldable gives you one device that fits in your pocket yet unfolds for reviewing slide decks, answering emails, or video calls on a bigger screen.
- Commuting – On a train or bus, you can keep it pocket-sized until you want to read reports, watch videos, or browse documents, without needing to carry a separate tablet.
- Conferences and Trade Shows – You can demo apps, take notes, scan badges, and show presentations on the larger screen, all from a single device without juggling two gadgets.
- Long Flights – Entertainment, email catch-up, and light work are easier on a foldable screen without needing to fish out a tablet from your bag.
- Client Meetings – Unfold to show a proposal or contract to someone across the table, then fold back into your pocket when done. Less awkward than carrying a tablet around.
- Photography Outings – When shooting photos, the foldable doubles as a large preview screen for editing on the spot. Less to carry than a phone + tablet + camera gear.
- Cafés or Shared Tables – Compact when folded, it doesn’t hog space like a tablet, but can still expand for reading, writing, or split-screen multitasking.
- Hotel Stays – When traveling light, you can stream shows, video call home, or work on the bigger screen without needing to pack a second device.
- Minimalist Daily Carry – For people who hate carrying a bag, the foldable gives them tablet-like function in their pocket, which is ideal for “phone only” days.
- Remote Work Setups – Pair the foldable with a portable keyboard and mouse: suddenly you’ve got a mini workstation without carrying a tablet or laptop.
- Events / Waiting Rooms – While waiting at a doctor’s office or a kid’s soccer practice, you can unfold to read a book or review work documents instead of lugging along your tablet.
- International Travel with Weight Restrictions – Airlines and trains in some regions weigh all carry-ons strictly. One device replacing two can save weight and simplify charging (fewer cables, adapters, and chargers).
- Construction – Foldable can be carried in a pocket like a phone (rugged cases exist), but unfold to review blueprints, CAD drawings, or punch lists on-site without lugging a tablet around.
- Inspections (safety, facilities, engineering) – Inspectors often need to take photos, fill forms, and then check large reference documents. A foldable lets them zoom in on schematics or spreadsheets while staying mobile.
- Warehouse / Logistics Work – Workers can scan barcodes and track inventory in phone mode, then expand the screen to check manifests or maps. Less awkward than juggling both a phone and a tablet on a forklift or while moving boxes.
- Outdoor/Field Research – One device that’s compact for rugged environments but big enough to record data tables, overlay maps, or show drone feeds. Lighter and easier to protect than carrying multiple electronics.
- Emergency Response / Public Safety – First responders may need compact communication on the go, then quickly flip open to check maps, incident logs, or live video feeds. A foldable reduces the risk of dropping or losing extra gear.
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And they’re not planning to sell a $2000 foldable phone to every one of those users. But for everyone one who does, they’re massively increasing their phone revenue.
You are funny saying things like "this will be the last of Tim Cook" about one of the most competent, successful CEOs in the world. Also I would love to wager against your comment "if they do launch a foldable phone, I’m so convinced it will fail."
The context of my comments are that Apple has to make a decision. Chasing niche markets is not what the company does. They don't. The Apple Vision Pro is a bit of an anomaly but also something that has not met even Apple's meagre expectations.
The iPhone is Apple's bread and butter. Under Tim Cook, their product lines have become more complex, with more choice. My point is that regardless, if Apple does decide to launch the foldable smartphone, they are marketing to smartphone users, and that is hundreds of millions of users for them. My position is that it won't make it past a niche market for the many reasons I have mentioned. And for that reason I don't see a point in them doing this.
It's not funny, it's an opinion, and it's not your opinion. Tim Cook is not the most competent and successful CEO in the world. He inherited Apple that was built and led by Steve Jobs, including many of the product lines they still rely on. Tim Cook has done nothing but ride the coat-tails of Steve Jobs.
There are many CEOs of companies around the world who do great things, including turning around companies from near ruin: something Steve Jobs did in the late 90s when he came back to Apple. And one of the first things he did was simplify the product lines. Fast forward to today, and Apple's product lines are again messy. The entire "Pro" moniker is stupid.
Microsoft is destroying Apple in software. I hate Microsoft but I lead development and design teams and now heavily use their development platform and enterprise solutions. Their apps are so connected together... AI is so baked into Microsoft's software offerings that it's not even in the same universe anymore.
Apple needs to start revamping its software and it needs new titles and it desperately needs a proper AI strategy and the implementation of that.