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Apple Now Testing Flip-Style Foldable iPhone
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That’s right. NOBODY wants foldable phones. You don’t… so that means NOBODY does. Frankly, a flip-style phone is the only foldable I’d be interested in.
contacos
macrumors 603
Unfortunately no Foldable this far has been released with top notch cameras and it doesn't seem like Apple will be either which is a shame cuz this could have been their stand out feature
code-m
Suspended
This comment is comical in a retrospect way. Motorola released the flip phone as to solve the butt dial issue that the candy bar design Nokia had.
Apple and specifically Jobs didn’t want to enter the mobile phone market but saw that devices by BlackBerry, Windows CE, Palm Pilot just had to implement music capabilities and it’s hit product the iPod would be less capable.
It’s been show time and again that mobility and portability is what people want hence the laptop, portable radio, Walkman, discman, etc. sometimes people don’t know what their want because their don’t know what is possible hence the iPhone with Multi-Touch.
While many here are claiming no one wants this or that it’s up to the consumer consensus that eventually matters. People have been leaning towards larger screen and Jobs had to concede defeat in this regard to Samsung with its Phablets.
While it’s possible that two separate devices iPhone and iPad could be had for less it would not be seen as the next must have product which is a combined device. Sometimes I wonder if MR forum members forget about the common person psyche. iPhones are still seen as status symbols; why?, because you can get an entry level Android device for cheap or free while this is only possible with heavy subsidies and long term contract for even the entry level iPhone.
I also forgot to mention that there is nothing quite satisfying then hearing the snap sound when one shuts the flip phone. People use to flip those phones open and close similar to clicking a pen.
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sw1tcher
macrumors 604
Tens of millions in sales last year is proof people do want them
Worldwide foldable smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 10% year-on-year (YoY) in 2025 to 20.6 million units, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The new foldable iPhone from Apple, alongside Samsung's Galaxy Z Trifold, available from Q1 2026, are expected to ignite consumer demand for the category in 2026.
“Next year will prove exciting for the foldable category with multiple launches pushing the market to 30% YoY growth from just 6% in the prior forecast,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. “Samsung will kick start 2026 with the Galaxy Z Trifold, introducing tri-fold innovation to mainstream global consumers, building off the momentum of the successful Galaxy Z Fold7 in 2025. Huawei’s foldables running on HarmonyOS Next will also see strong growth, with shipments expected to almost double in 2026. But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2,400.”
vegetassj4
macrumors 68020
Apple already made a foldable flip phone some years ago:
TechRunner
macrumors 68030
This is the phone I'd be more interested in given the two folding options Apple is working on putting out there. I had a Z Flip 4 and loved the pocketability of the device, but the overall user experience, especially the cameras, was "meh". I hope Apple will do a better job hardware-wise with their flip phone.
Xavier
macrumors 68030
This is kind of interesting to me, as I grew up in the flip phone era. And it would be a welcome addition to the iPhone line. Different and hopefully as functional.
Other than the obvious convenience of being able to prop up the phone in an upright positions for photos, I 'm not seeing the benefit of folding the phone for it to end up being twice as thick. Can someone tell me what other value-add I'm missing?
WarmWinterHat
Suspended
Twice as thick as what? If it's Air thick unfolded, then folded it's barely thicker than the regular models.
I would hope that Apple isn't planning to just take a Pro Max and split it in half.
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Still a lot easier to slip in a small pocket - shirt pocket, pants pocket or jacket pocket - than a standard smartphone.
Parowdy
macrumors 68000
*****, if the camera matches even the 16 Pro it’d be way better than Samsung Flips.
My gf has a Flip 5 and is actually in the market for a „flipping“ iPhone, as she’s annoyed by Samsung and needs something that fits in woman’s pants pockets.
And her cameras are no better than an iPhone X, which was a real downgrade from her previous OnePlus.
Parowdy
macrumors 68000
My gf has a Samsung Flip 5 because a. her previous phone broke, b. marketing worked on her and c. she needs a phone that fits in woman’s pants pockets. Also she appreciates that she needs to actively open her phone up to doom scroll.
Well, given how the flip phones already are, it’s not twice as thick.
Unfolded it would be between 4 and 5 MM thick, folded closed it would be between 8.5 and 9.5 MM thick.
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, with absolutely no folding happening whatsoever, is already 8.75 MM thick.
So no, not twice the thickness.
gaximus
macrumors 68020
While this is cool, it has no extra functionality, and adds complexity just to use the phone. I’d rather have an even thinner iPhone Air with 3 camera and 2 speakers.
Yes, I'd prefer another Mini.
But if we aren't going to get that, an ambitious flip-phone might be second best to a Mini. But they need to keep the thickness and weight down, say 10mm max and less then 150g. Of course that's technically possible, but Apple are so unadventurous that I suspect it will be 13-14mm thick and closer to 250g, i.e. a brick. In that case, it would be a VERY poor second to a new Mini!
Apple_Jacks
macrumors member
My biggest issue with non-"mini" iPhones is the width. I couldn't care less about it being as thick as a pro if it could properly be used by one hand 80% of the time. Neither the fold or flip designs solve this issue. Sure the Air is a little easier to work with, but it's still comparatively massive.
mansplains
macrumors 68000
He may agree, hence the release of Apple Vision Pro instead
JulianFrance
macrumors member
It's this foldable model that interests me. If it comes out, I'll buy it immediately!
For now, my iPhone Air does the job, but I find its screen a bit too big.
For now, my iPhone Air does the job, but I find its screen a bit too big.
code-m
Suspended
Yes, because the OG iPhone Air is demonstrating to be a run away success. /s
Let me get out that magic wand and make it happen. 😝
code-m
Suspended
code-m
Suspended
If we listen to MR forum members, the iPhone and iPod probably would have never existed. These opinions are gold that there is so much vision here that these people opt to waste time on a forum vice releasing the next technology innovation and advancement. 😝