Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Could Reinvigorate Stalling Market

[MakaniKai]

This feels like something that a lot of people will find really neat and give it a try, but then will go back to the regular candy bar phones on the next upgrade. If it has one of those really soft screens like the other foldables where your own fingernail can permanently leave a dent, I'm just not gonna bother.

 

[nStyle]

I kinda doubt Apple will release it. Foldables are cool but they don't really add any must-have functionality and I don't even know if Apple can do it better than it's already been done. If they do release one then I don't think it will look like what you expect it to. It has to be different enough and worth it for them to do.

 

[scgf]

The outside cover display on a flip style foldable has to be usable for any flip style foldable to break through and start eating into it's slab phone cousin. The best example of this is the latest Moto Razr compared to Samsung's Z Flip. The Razr's cover display is fully functional and is just a miniature phone with little to no limits over the inside main display where all other flip foldables have been some curated gimped set of features and layout from the inside display.

If Apple can pull this off and maintain a base $999 price then no doubt it can take off.

The ONE reason I haven’t bought a flip of foldable phone is the so-called fully functional outside display. I would have issues deciding which display to use. I thought Samsung got it right in their earlier incarnations when the outside display was small and alerted the user to a message - a bit like how you’d use a smart watch. With that paradigm I’d always open the flip to engage rather than be faced with a choice.

 

[decafjava]

Ummm no thanks. I can see a lot of people would love it, seems to be the case with Samsung's foldables.

 

[MrGimper]

I still don't "get" foldable phones.....

You carry around a thick phone in your pocket, which is thicker than your current phone, and then you can unfold it to a too-small tablet with a crease down the screen.

 

[hoorayforhollywood]

A foldable phone only makes sense if folding it out means it's tablet sized. The Air is rumoured to be nothing like that, and I think the Air is probably the new SE.

Sorry - I was being unclear. I mean a device that is essentially two 17 Airs, with the development of the Air being so slim to make a smaller width when folded together. Which would mean a tablet sized phone when unfolded.

 

[ninethirty]

It’s not needed.
By you.
That was easy.

And 98% of smartphone buyers.

 

[decafjava]

And 98% of smartphone buyers.

Well 2% is still a large number - whether it is worth for Apple is up to Tim.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Sorry - I was being unclear. I mean a device that is essentially two 17 Airs, with the development of the Air being so slim to make a smaller width when folded together. Which would mean a tablet sized phone when unfolded.

True, just that this is not the rumour for the Air

 

[obviouslogic]

The foldable market particularly in the US, Apple's biggest market, is by no means saturated. The only players are Google who does not yet make a flip style foldable, Samsung (has made the same flip foldable phone for years) and Moto who has yet to make a meaningful dent in the market.

Also none of those options run iOS so they are DOA for Apple users. Apple users (I can only imagine as I am not one) are likely bored out of their mind with the recent iPhones with very few changes. Releasing a flip foldable, anything to break the monotony is just what Apple and its users need.

The touch-screen flip phone is a solution to a problem no one has. It's a gimmick, the size of its market shows that. A foldable iPhone would be less popular (in the long run) than the iPhone mini, and we know what Apple thinks of that market.

A foldable iPad would, IMHO, be much, much more practical and popular.

 

[sunapple]

I still don't "get" foldable phones.....

You carry around a thick phone in your pocket, which is thicker than your current phone, and then you can unfold it to a too-small tablet with a crease down the screen.

Don't forget they're twice the price.

All these people arguing about foldables 'market share' keep forgetting it is not a new category—it's a kind of smartphone. And no one expects people to buy both a 'foldable' and a traditional smartphone.

So the market for this is the same size as the currently saturated smartphone market. It's not a growth market for Apple.

Now, could they disrupt things and get a lot more android people? Probably not, but anything could happen. What's more likely is that they research it because what if everyone goes for foldables, and they fall behind? That forces them to do this...but it's to preserve what they have, not actually grow.

The fact that there are hundreds of posts here but very few people grasping this is...not great. Think it through.

People are even talking about how a great amazing foldable will mean...you don't buy an iPad. Well, that cuts into Apple's bottom line, too. And I believe they'd do that, if it was amazing...but again, you don't get new markets.

I think Apple would create a category, price-wise, in between iPhone Pro and iPad Pro. In another sense, like you say, it would cut into existing product lines as well. And I doubt this highly advanced niche device that's difficult to manufacture is as profitable, that might be the reason we're not seeing it yet. Maybe it'll be sold to Vision Pro owners exclusively LOL.

 

[rudi.tapper]

Wish they could just have 2 screens that talk to one another held together by magnets. No folding issues.

 

[Fat_Guy]

Excuse me - Excuse me…..



I would just like to say one thing:



I told you so! The foldable is coming!



Ok, back to the discussion.

 

[WongYay]

I don’t think so. I really don’t think there are any special usage scenarios for folding screens that current iPhones cannot provide. I can only say that folding phones have added more product options to Apple, but in fact I think Apple has enough products. , and the system is not as stable as before. This may be due to too many products. I need a stable system even more!

 

[frownface]

This feels like something that a lot of people will find really neat and give it a try, but then will go back to the regular candy bar phones on the next upgrade. If it has one of those really soft screens like the other foldables where your own fingernail can permanently leave a dent, I'm just not gonna bother.

Yup and you'd likely be correct.

But it would be a massive sales hit because a lot of people are holding onto their 11/12/13/14/15's exaclty because the current available device just looks the same, and does the same as their current phone. They don't see a compelling reason to drop 1k despite kinda wanting to upgrade

Wheras a flip would be novel & different. Even if its a gimmick and they never really use it in any way to take advantage; the buyers are itching to find a reason to upgrade (and apple ai isn't it)

 

[Gengar]

The last folding phone I had was made by Motorola. It was it the last, it is the last, it will be the last!

The last one I had was by Motorola too. The KRZR K1. They used to make some stunning phones.

 

[erihp]

cant they just make an ipod nano form factor tiny phone??? doesnt beed to be fast, doesnt need 8k screens, doesnt need more than whats in a watch..... ok fine ill do it and put it in my sig....

iphone nano!

 

[Chicagoblah]

Can’t see apple going down this road. I have one of these foldable phones for work and it’s a completely useless feature. It’s more bulky in my pocket folded, cumbersome to open/close to the point I just leave it open at all times. It’s not worth the annoying bump in the middle of the display.

 

[The Game 161]

I still don't "get" foldable phones.....

You carry around a thick phone in your pocket, which is thicker than your current phone, and then you can unfold it to a too-small tablet with a crease down the screen.

most of the new foldables are same thinness as the 16 pro max if not thinner. most foldables do have an issue with the crease but certain brands are making it where the crease is basically non existent.

if apple prices it at like 2k i get why many people would not buy. one plus open for 1399 at the time of purchase was reasonable and it had basically no crease either.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

most of the new foldables are same thinness as the 16 pro max if not thinner. most foldables do have an issue with the crease but certain brands are making it where the crease is basically non existent.

if apple prices it at like 2k i get why many people would not buy. one plus open for 1399 at the time of purchase was reasonable and it had basically no crease either.

The crease on the One Plus Open is visible in the unboxing vids and reviews I have watched and looks like an uneven ridge. It is not as pronounced as some of the Samsung phones, but is there. Can you really see Apple offering an iPhone with a large folding OLED panel and an exterior OLED panel for of a 16 Pro Max or £1399 which is already expensive?

Personally I think Apple would spin its marketing to suggest we are getting an iPhone and iPad in one, so assume by adding an extra £600+ on top of current iPhone prices, would be a justification. Hopefully they can see by the foldable reaction from other manufacturers, there is a market for them, but most people don't want them.

 

[MakaniKai]

Yup and you'd likely be correct.

But it would be a massive sales hit because a lot of people are holding onto their 11/12/13/14/15's exaclty because the current available device just looks the same, and does the same as their current phone. They don't see a compelling reason to drop 1k despite kinda wanting to upgrade

Wheras a flip would be novel & different. Even if its a gimmick and they never really use it in any way to take advantage; the buyers are itching to find a reason to upgrade (and apple ai isn't it)

That is a great point. And then if it turns out they don't like it so much, they will have another reason to "upgrade" back to the candy bar style lol. That's actually pretty genius when you look at it that way.

 

[The Game 161]

The crease on the One Plus Open is visible in the unboxing vids and reviews I have watched and looks like an uneven ridge. It is not as pronounced as some of the Samsung phones, but is there. Can you really see Apple offering an iPhone with a large folding OLED panel and an exterior OLED panel for of a 16 Pro Max or £1399 which is already expensive?

Personally I think Apple would spin its marketing to suggest we are getting an iPhone and iPad in one, so assume by adding an extra £600+ on top of current iPhone prices, would be a justification. Hopefully they can see by the foldable reaction from other manufacturers, there is a market for them, but most people don't want them.

I’ve had the one plus open and you can only see the crease in certain situations head on and using day to day you wouldn’t really know it’s there. And no I don’t think Apple would offer that price as they are about profit. I think 2k is about right even with worse specs than the competition as it certainly won’t offer better specs than others will. So you will be paying more when you can get it cheaper elsewhere. They will just market iOS as why you should

 

[victorvictoria]

The last one I had was by Motorola too. The KRZR K1. They used to make some stunning phones.

View attachment 2458937

Nice to look at. Not so much to use…

 

[Fred Zed]

Looks like Apple entering the foldable market is imminent. But Im sure it's mainly due to sales and marketing reasons for them to soon jump on board. Else it would be happening by 2029. HAHA

 

[SactoGuy18]

Look, Apple is not building a folding display phone until the display manufacturers can resolve the many issues that plague such displays.