Apple Preparing 'Most Significant Overhaul in the iPhone's History'

[AppleMad98004]

One could buy 3 MacBook Neo's and have money left over for a nice dinner for the price of a phone(?!).... No thank you.

 

[MadMacx4eva]

I'm still balking at a $2K phone, but in reality it's only about $600 more than my 15 Pro Max with 512GB, which isn't terribly more.

It's time for me to upgrade, but I won't be a pre-order for this, so a 2027 pick up at whatever discount if any is available will have to do. We shall see...

 

[Johns12]

the Fold will be cool, and will likely sell better than Samsung’s folding phones. However, I doubt it will ever have a lot of market share simply due to price and fragility.

Not everything released has to sell 200 million units. There is room for niche products.

People laughed when I held onto my flip phone for years and years when everyone else had a smartphone. Now they can't wait to come full circle.

These foldable and flip phones have nothing in common with the old flip phones. The only thing that is the same is word flip.

 

[The_Martini_Cat]

I am totally happy for the people who want this folding phone and ... now they will be able to have one! For me, I am debating between upgrading my iPad Air to a new M-series, but ... I'm worried that the new iPad keyboard will not be as good as the old one, which is the best keyboard I have ever had on a computer/device/whatever🍸😸 So I went down to the Apple Store but ... someone was standing right in front of the iPad Air keyboards!!! Doggone it!🍸😼 But I DID get hands on with the Macbook Neo. If you want to spend two grand, you can always splurge on an iPhone (non-folding, but max it out) and get one of these little Neos! Caveats about trying the kbd standing up instead of in the lap but that little keyboard is ACES.🍸🐈

 

[KevinN206]

If any company is going to get the software of a foldable right it’s Apple, they are literally to this day still the only company to somehow get the tablet OS right.
Google has been trying and failing for almost 20 years, Microsoft even longer.
As for the hardware, well… The actual folding screen is developed and manufactured by the company who has been making the phones for the last eight years.
It will be fine.
The bigger question is, why do you care so much what people do with their own money?
Some people just like the thrill of being early adopters, remember there were 6.1 million original iPhones sold, and as Steve Balmer so helpfullypointed out, it was “$500, the most expensive phone in the world, and it doesn’t appeal to business customers because it doesn’t have a keyboard”.

I feel that iPadOS 26 is a huge step backward for multitasking with touch company to iOS 18 and even worse compared to Samsung's OneUI 8. I find Samsung's multitasking for the Z Fold 7 with touch is superior, and it has a separate mode for mouse and keyboard use.

 

[transpo1]

But was it truly a first gen product?

If I remember correctly, the M1 air came out first.

You could also make other arguments…

You could argue that it's just continuing an older product line but it was a major redesign so I consider it a first gen product.

 

[jdawgnoonan]

Not everything released has to sell 200 million units. There is room for niche products.

These foldable and flip phones have nothing in common with the old flip phones. The only thing that is the same is word flip.

I do not disagree with you on that. I hope that Apple will consider 20 million units to be a win.

 

[EugW]

The Oppo this year looks decent, which bodes well for the foldable iPhone. Crease essentially gone, and less than 9 mm thick when folded. Weight is similar to iPhone 17 Pro Max.

 

[eifelbube]

While you're at it, please research and report back the number of times Apple get's slagged with the release of new products, going back to when Jobs introduced iPod, with all of negative assessments (ie, "Who asked for a thousand songs in your pocket") here.

In recent years, the number of negative reactions (“slagged”) to Apple products and actions appears to be much higher than the number of positive reactions. Does not bother me enough to feel compelled to verify it. So, I would accept the claim that the opposite is true. I wonder how the other Apple-centric news & discussion sites compare to MR on the reaction negativity scale.

 

[citysnaps]

In recent years, the number of negative reactions (“slagged”) to Apple products and actions appears to be much higher than the number of positive reactions. Does not bother me enough to feel compelled to verify it. So, I would accept the claim that the opposite is true. I wonder how the other Apple-centric news & discussion sites compare to MR on the reaction negativity scale.

Another forum I'm a member of that also follows Apple and Apple products doesn't engage in that. Sure, there's honest debate on this or that. But zero slagging of Cook or Apple in general. The members are also more technically oriented (engineers, chip designers, software developers, etc), and a more mature group of people.

 

[jazsm97]

I see no compelling reason why they couldn't have added proper multitasking/side-by-side/picture in picture on non-folding iPhones long before this. At the very least on the Max versions. In 2016 my Google Pixel could do this just fine, and it made for such a nice workflow. But of course for that privilege I'll now have to pay over 2 grand for it.

I'm curious how this thing shapes up. I'm not opposed to it, but the cost would have to be justified. I'm just annoyed it's the only way to be in the iOS ecosystem and to be able to do multiple things at once.

 

[fathergll]

Like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, the foldable iPhone will reportedly open up like a book,

Sneak peak

 

[FlyingTexan]

Take the 13mini, add hinges, done.

 

[FlyingTexan]

Sure hope they’ve read the room better than they did with the Vision Pro and iPhone Air.

If not, this will be mega dud #3 in as many years.

The iPhone Air isn’t for me but it’s still a great device. I don’t think they missed that mark at all

 

[fgengineer]

The iPhone Air isn’t for me but it’s still a great device. I don’t think they missed that mark at all

I think they did.

Apple was not courageous enough.

If they were going to compromise the camera, Apple should have eliminated the camera bump altogether. That would have been more tempting for me.

And get rid of the notch for one slick candy bar.

 

[aliensporebomb]

I get to interact with people who have the foldable android phones and they're thick like a small book. If Apple was able to make it less "PHABBY" it would be better. I guss we wait and see.

 

[Johns12]

I get to interact with people who have the foldable android phones and they're thick like a small book. If Apple was able to make it less "PHABBY" it would be better. I guss we wait and see.

The IPhone 17 pro is 8.75mm thick and weighs 233g. The Samsung Fold 7 is 8.9mm thick and weights 215g. Many newer folding phones will be comparable dimensions .

 

[eifelbube]

Another forum I'm a member of that also follows Apple and Apple products doesn't engage in that. Sure, there's honest debate on this or that. But zero slagging of Cook or Apple in general. The members are also more technically oriented (engineers, chip designers, software developers, etc), and a more mature group of people.

I would actually be interested to know which forum that is. MR is the only site I use.

 

[Johns12]

I would actually be interested to know which forum that is. MR is the only site I use.

I've been a member of this site for over 25 years. There was some weird glitch in the early 2000's that required me to re register. This site used to be great with people who loved Apple, like me, but were very interested in tech and new ideas. It has now devolved into either Apple hatred, or Apple can do no wrong, and, why are there articles about other companies with new tech. For some here, Apple does everything wrong, and others, Apple can do no wrong. It's a sad state we're in.

Back in the 90's and 2000's there were definitely problems with Apple as there are now. Please don't remind me of the MobileMe mess. The liquid cooling problems with some Mac Pro's back in the day. The purchase of Logic from Emagic with no communication of future plans and very slow bug updates. Still, many people on this site now are really not interested in tech. They want to own something they feel makes them better than others. Unfortunately, owning and IPhone or IPad does not make you better than other people.

 

[HK-Dragon]

Sorry, I would never buy a foldable iPhone or other brand foldable in the next view years, if I want some bigger then I go for a tablet 12"+!
If the foldable phones were a success, then why many brands don't followup with newer and better ones?
For me this technology isn't fully developed and needs some more years to prove their worthiness!

 

[Johns12]

Sorry, I would never buy a foldable iPhone or other brand foldable in the next view years, if I want some bigger then I go for a tablet 12"+!
If the foldable phones were a success, then why many brands don't followup with newer and better ones?
For me this technology isn't fully developed and needs some more years to prove their worthiness!

At the current price point, foldables will never be a mainstream product. Look at it this way, you can buy Toyota Camry, or a BMW 5 series. Big difference in price and Toyota sells way more Camrys than 5 series, yet, they both are for sale and make money for their respective companies. A 12" tablet is great, but can't fit in you pocket.

 

[Serrafemme]

I’ll bide my time until a flip is launched. Then they’ll have me

 

[jdawgnoonan]

At the current price point, foldables will never be a mainstream product. Look at it this way, you can buy Toyota Camry, or a BMW 5 series. Big difference in price and Toyota sells way more Camrys than 5 series, yet, they both are for sale and make money for their respective companies. A 12" tablet is great, but can't fit in you pocket.

But a tablet of any size will be more durable, and, despite the foldable fitting in a pocket, it is still smaller unfolded than almost any tablet. I had a Samsung Z Fold and I enjoyed the form factor and conveniences, but the compromises (mid range camera, fragile build, general bulkiness when folded) were not worth it for me. I personally have no financial reason that I cannot buy whatever I want, but it would take a lot of convincing to make me want to go back to a foldable. Maybe Apple can convince me. But it won’t be as convenient or as capable as an iPhone Pro and it won’t be as good of tablet as an iPad Mini, yet it will cost more than both combined (depending on the models that you choose).

 

[Tr3m0r]

I've been a member of this site for over 25 years. There was some weird glitch in the early 2000's that required me to re register. This site used to be great with people who loved Apple, like me, but were very interested in tech and new ideas. It has now devolved into either Apple hatred, or Apple can do no wrong, and, why are there articles about other companies with new tech. For some here, Apple does everything wrong, and others, Apple can do no wrong. It's a sad state we're in.

Back in the 90's and 2000's there were definitely problems with Apple as there are now. Please don't remind me of the MobileMe mess. The liquid cooling problems with some Mac Pro's back in the day. The purchase of Logic from Emagic with no communication of future plans and very slow bug updates. Still, many people on this site now are really not interested in tech. They want to own something they feel makes them better than others. Unfortunately, owning and IPhone or IPad does not make you better than other people.

This is how engagement appears on every forum and social platform. Sadly, there is not much attention on bot engagements. I find that Reddit front page is mostly bot curated content and massive upvoting and am sure it is mirrored on X and other platforms. My belief is that forums like this and other "old school" forums have less bot posters but maybe that is changing too?

 

[Johns12]

But a tablet of any size will be more durable, and, despite the foldable fitting in a pocket, it is still smaller unfolded than almost any tablet. I had a Samsung Z Fold and I enjoyed the form factor and conveniences, but the compromises (mid range camera, fragile build, general bulkiness when folded) were not worth it for me. I personally have no financial reason that I cannot buy whatever I want, but it would take a lot of convincing to make me want to go back to a foldable. Maybe Apple can convince me. But it won’t be as convenient or as capable as an iPhone Pro and it won’t be as good of tablet as an iPad Mini, yet it will cost more than both combined (depending on the models that you choose).

I definitely understand what you're saying. I had my Fold 4 for 2 years and had no durability issues. Others may have had problems. I guess I'm lucky. I enjoy my Fold 7. Of course a tablet is bigger, but if we go down that road, so is a 13, or 14" MACBOOK PRO. In my house, we have a very nice 65" TV, but sometimes my wife or I will watch a video on my MACBOOK pro or her iPad. Is that a compromise? I think so, yet we're ok with doing it sometimes for convenience, and I think convenience is what many people care about.