Other A Foldable iPhone will Flop

[Adelphos33]

This time next year, Apple will be selling six "current year" iPhone Models

17e
17 (apparently 18/18e will be released in Spring '27)
Air 2
18 Pro
18 Pro Max
Fold

Buy what phone you want or need. Gone are the days we really need to look at what individual model "flops" or not. More choice is better. Some will have no interest in Fold. Others will buy Folds exclusively until the next form factor come out. As of now I have no interest in a folding phone, but others will love it. Who cares. Buy what you want.

 

[sunapple]

If Apple ships around as many folding phones as Samsung is doing, you can't call it a flop. I'm sure Apple's will be priced 500 USD higher, lack important software features at launch and have some incredible design flaw somewhere, but it still seems likely to me the sales figures will be high based solely on the brand.

Now will it be a niche product in smartphone land, yes, because a base iPhone is designed for mass-appeal and this isn't. There's not really a debate about that, is there? Apple will make sure it's positioned like something special / Pro / niche in every possible way starting with price.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Your entire post is an opinion filled with subjective observations. I'm not saying it's invalid in any way, but to say your post was not an opinion suggests that you believe you've tapped into a universal truth that you are simply sharing with us

Strawman. It is not subjective. A foldable phone compromises to be a foldable phone. The screen becomes plastic. The device has two phones sandwiched together with a gap seam around. Its aspect ratio is poor being square. The size of it unfolded is limited compared to larger tablets. Etc.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple themselves apparently expect the first foldable iPhone to sell somewhere between 9 and 15 Million units, compared to the 220 Million standard slab phones they sell every year.
Samsung cells around 5 million foldable phones every year.
Yes, it’s niche.
That does not mean that it is a “flop”, pretty much the most overused term around here that no one can seem to define.
The AVP wasn’t a “flop” either, considering that apples assembly lines could only produce about half 1 million of them a year, and then the first year they sold 400,000 of them, or 4/5 the amount they could literally produce.
The definition of “flop” has seemed to turn into “product I don’t personally want/can’t personally justify purchasing”. And if that’s the case than the Mac studio and the MacPro are the biggest flops of them all.

 

[ayephoner]

Strawman. It is not subjective. A foldable phone compromises to be a foldable phone. The screen becomes plastic. The device has two phones sandwiched together with a gap seam around. Its aspect ratio is poor being square. The size of it unfolded is limited compared to larger tablets. Etc.

All of that is true, but you're omitting the obvious benefit of it being a foldable. You have a small tablet in your pocket at all times. It will do well. At least well enough to keep making one. Hopefully they offer more diversity with their other phones though.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

All of that is true, but you're omitting the obvious benefit of it being a foldable. You have a small tablet in your pocket at all times. It will do well. At least well enough to keep making one. Hopefully they offer more diversity with their other phones though.

What are you omitting is that there are other devices it has to compete with: non-folding smartphones and tablets. List the reasons why someone would buy a foldable smartphone over a non-foldable one.

 

[sunapple]

Apple themselves apparently expect the first foldable iPhone to sell somewhere between 9 and 15 Million units, compared to the 220 Million standard slab phones they sell every year.
Samsung cells around 5 million foldable phones every year.
Yes, it’s niche.
That does not mean that it is a “flop”, pretty much the most overused term around here that no one can seem to define.
The AVP wasn’t a “flop” either, considering that apples assembly lines could only produce about half 1 million of them a year, and then the first year they sold 400,000 of them, or 4/5 the amount they could literally produce.
The definition of “flop” has seemed to turn into “product I don’t personally want/can’t personally justify purchasing”. And if that’s the case than the Mac studio and the MacPro are the biggest flops of them all.

I looked up "flop" in the dictionary and found:

flop /flŏp/

intransitive verb​

1. To fall or lie down heavily and noisily.
   "flop onto the sofa."
2. To move about loosely or limply.
   "The dog's ears flopped when it ran."
3. To fail utterly.
   "The play flopped."
4. Apple Car
   "Honey, where did I park my Apple Car- oh wait that never launched but cost them a ton of money."

 

[Pbwallstreet]

You posting the word “strawman” over and over again does not make it true.
Also, isn’t there a rule on these forums against posting substanceless replies that are just one word?

Making an argument inserting false premises that you assign to someone is a strawman. I did not post and say the device will flop because it’s my personal opinion. I listed specific, objective reasons. A foldable smartphone has to make compromises to be that kind of device and there now needs to be reasons why someone would buy it over non-folding smartphones and tablets that don’t make those compromises.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Apple themselves apparently expect the first foldable iPhone to sell somewhere between 9 and 15 Million units, compared to the 220 Million standard slab phones they sell every year.
Samsung cells around 5 million foldable phones every year.
Yes, it’s niche.
That does not mean that it is a “flop”, pretty much the most overused term around here that no one can seem to define.
The AVP wasn’t a “flop” either, considering that apples assembly lines could only produce about half 1 million of them a year, and then the first year they sold 400,000 of them, or 4/5 the amount they could literally produce.
The definition of “flop” has seemed to turn into “product I don’t personally want/can’t personally justify purchasing”. And if that’s the case than the Mac studio and the MacPro are the biggest flops of them all.

A definition of flop is important. It has failed to reach wide consumer adoption. There are countless articles online talking about this.

 

[Cuesca]

What are you omitting is that there are other devices it has to compete with: non-folding smartphones and tablets. List the reasons why someone would buy a foldable smartphone over a non-foldable one.

I think the reasons people listed in this thread seems pretty valid TBQH. I for one would love an iPad Mini 5G in my pocket that doesn't have a crap screen. It's also a halo product, designed to showcase a company's engineering prowess, people will buy it for the 'Flex' alone.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

A definition of flop is important. It has failed to reach wide consumer adoption. There are countless articles online talking about this.

Foldables aren't intended to reach wide consumer adoption.

 

[ofarlig]

Making an argument inserting false premises that you assign to someone is a strawman. I did not post and say the device will flop because it’s my personal opinion. I listed specific, objective reasons. A foldable smartphone has to make compromises to be that kind of device and there now needs to be reasons why someone would buy it over non-folding smartphones and tablets that don’t make those compromises.

The reasons you gave in your OP were not objective, they were your personal opinions even though they were specific.

- You say the form factor is compromised but that’s only true if you prefer a slabphone, the rumoured specs of the Apple foldable makes it smaller in my pocket than a 17 Pro Max but the foldable has a larger display which for me is a much better form factor.

- You also say there are no productivity gains from a foldable but that is also just your opinion. I see multiple areas in my work and personal life where I am on the go and where an iPad Mini sized display would offer great productivity gains.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Foldables aren't intended to reach wide consumer adoption.

Why?

 

[Pbwallstreet]

The reasons you gave in your OP were not objective, they were your personal opinions even though they were specific.

- You say the form factor is compromised but that’s only true if you prefer a slabphone, the rumoured specs of the Apple foldable makes it smaller in my pocket than a 17 Pro Max but the foldable has a larger display which for me is a much better form factor.

- You also say there are no productivity gains from a foldable but that is also just your opinion. I see multiple areas in my work and personal life where I am on the go and where an iPad Mini sized display would offer great productivity gains.

Another strawman. You are trying to argue a foldable smartphone doesn’t make compromises. Yes it does, objectively, and I pointed them out already.

 

[UKapple73]

Ok I’ll bite. Here’s some objective reasons to get a fold rather than a current slab phone :
1. Multitasking much better on inner screen
2. Web browsing much better on inner screen
3. Gaming much better on inner screen
4. Video context a bit better - but with large bars admittedly
5. Looking at photos much better on inner screen

Basically you’ve got a phone and an iPad mini on tap at all times. Winner for me and lots of others

I actually tried the Fold 4 for around 5 months and liked it but liked iPhone ecosystem too much
I wonder if the OP has used one?

 

[Arran]

No I did not list personal opinions.

Well, you kind-of edited your facts down to support your opinions.

I’m on the fence as far as foldables go, but if you want to engage others in an authentic discussion of pros and cons then you’ll need to provide a few pros yourself. If for no other reason than to show your mind isn’t already made up. If you just want to “prove” yourself right in front of an audience then I have no advice or time for you.

Here. I’ll get you started. One pro would be reviewing documents on the go (legal contracts, medical imaging, architectural plans and diagrams, photographs). Anything that benefits from a larger screen. These are all ‘niche’ applications, but profitable.

Your turn.

 

[sunapple]

A definition of flop is important. It has failed to reach wide consumer adoption. There are countless articles online talking about this.

A Mac Studio isn't a flop as someone already pointed out. If Apple makes a profit and sales meet their expectations, it is a success. Saying a plastic screen will lead to a flop is just an opinion.

 

[S.B.G]

I think that if Apple does release a foldable iPhone, that it will not be as popular as the other iPhone models in terms of sales. I'm not sure I'll go so far as to predict that it will end up a "flop" though.

But I predict lower sales number which would be due to the complexity and perceived issues it may bring and probably more-so due to the anticipated higher costs for a foldable device.

If Apple releases one of these I know that I will not be buying one. A "foldable" flip phone from the early 2000's, yes! I have had a few of those. But a foldable smart phone is nothing I am interested in.

 

[ray6088]

People should use the fold phone before making a bold statement. I quitted Apple ecosystem after 13 mini. I have been using Samsung flip 5, 6, and 2025 Razr Ultra. I love it. Reliability is concerning.
My wishlist:
1. iOS instead of Android
2. Reliabe

 

[vanilla_prison]

I like what someone else posted. There is a wide variety of products available from Apple now. Anyone remember the iPhone 3G? 3GS? 4? 4S? Etc. There used to be one phone. One flagship device that was released and everything depended on it. It mattered if it “flopped”. Now, you’ve got a base model, an air model, a pro model, and a large pro model. For iPads you’ve got base, mini, air, and pro models. Apple isn’t trying to get everyone to buy one device. They’re trying to get everyone to buy one of their devices. The iPhone Fold will just be another device in the lineup. Some people will want one, other people won’t.

As for things that a Fold could bring to the lineup that would make it worthy purpose:
- screen size, obviously. The inner screen would be almost iPad Mini size when opened
- possibility of multitasking
- greate ereader potential
- reduction of devices. Some people have an iPhone and and iPad. Maybe this would make their lives easy and cut down the devices they carry
- gaming, pictures, videos, any kind of entertainment is better on a bigger screen without making you carry an iPad around

 

[C. Robert]

People will buy it. Like bro it's a phone but an iPad also.....eh nah, it's a floppy phone

 

[klasma]

A minority product doesn’t imply a flop. The fact that it will start at around $2000 already makes it a niche/enthusiast product. Pricing will likely go down over the years (inflation-adjusted).

 

[FoxyKaye]

I'm not anticipating buying one, but I don't actually need one for what I use a smartphone to accomplish. That said, the guy next to me on a recent plane flight had a foldable Android somethingoranother, and he seemed pretty happy with it. He used it folded for the screen on front to check alerts, send/receive texts and such, and unfolded it for email, videos, and Web browsing. I do sometimes consider that the iPhone lineup is starting to look like the old beige G3 lineup in that there were multiple machines with not enough differentiation between them for consumers to either be excited about them or understand what they're choosing, so if the foldable and the new "Air" start creating more distinct differentiation between these devices and Apple thinks it can make money with them, why do I care?

 

[HouseLannister]

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.

The difference is Apple released a $3500 VR headset in a world of $500 headsets. If they release a $2k folding phone, they are in the same market and not going to fail miserably.

The marketing and OS improvements will be key to making an iFold a good product. Folding phones are really popular among frequent travelers. You can't get on an airplane without seeing a few. It's a business phone for business people. Apple needs to target the same multitasking group and not just sell this as a pocket iPad for media consumption. This is not going to be the phone for most people, but it will be wildly popular among a certain crowd if done well.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Ok I’ll bite. Here’s some objective reasons to get a fold rather than a current slab phone :
1. Multitasking much better on inner screen
2. Web browsing much better on inner screen
3. Gaming much better on inner screen
4. Video context a bit better - but with large bars admittedly
5. Looking at photos much better on inner screen

Basically you’ve got a phone and an iPad mini on tap at all times. Winner for me and lots of others

Ok, that is a good list. Now my question is, when would someone use the unfolded experience?