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Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Has No Visible Display Crease – Report
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As someone who had a Z Flip 4 for two-plus years, I would be very interested in an iPhone Flip. The "pocketability" of my caseless Z Flip 4 was such a joy. It literally disappeared in the front pocket.
Having said that, I'd be interested to see what Apple comes up with for a fold, too.
Luckily for Apple, Samsung would never copy their work.
I understand all what you stated, but there’s an important factor that may be someday will be important to you as now is for me: the age.
With the age, eyes need bigger fonts and bigger screens to read easily. Now I’m in that age, so to me is not just a whim, but a real need.
You had me at "unprecedented aspect ratios." Now there’s a phrase that will bring in the masses. Lol
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Purpose is easy: consumer utility, 2 distinct devices- Phone + Tablet- that largely do the very same things (running the same apps) in ONE package. Consumers like utility. Recall Jobs' original pitch for iPhone: "a mobile phone, an iPod and an internet communicator." At the time, most of us had all 3 of those as distinct devices, so how did we see a purpose that an iPhone could serve by merging those 3 things into one package?
The phone is beloved- towards god-of-tech status. I think many of us struggle with any concept that threatens a big tangible change to the form factor. For example, see 10 threads in the last month towards freaking out about rumored camera module platform on back.
So recast the concept from altering "the precious" at all. How would we feel about an iPad that can fold down to be pocketable and that also runs the Apple iPhone app so it can double as a phone too? We seem to have less "the precious" attachment to iPads so the imagination of significant change can have more mental leeway.
The thing here is that both phone and tablet run the same apps. Both are in similar cases made of similar materials. Both have almost identical tech guts inside. The one big physical difference between the two is screen size. So when we argue for 2 distinct products, we're arguing for carrying around 2 very similar things when a good fold or roll design could merge those 2 into one product to carry around: small & pocketable when that matters... bigger, more useful screen when that matters. Reduce the amount of aluminum and batteries and duplicate tech (and tech weight) we carry while still being able to do everything we do on the 2 device types.
"a mobile phone, an iPod and an internet communicator."
"an iPhone and an iPad, as a single product."
Like all rumored new things, I suspect the apprehension and mental resistance only persists until Apple actually rolls one out. Once Apple launches their cut at the concept, we'll suddenly see plenty of purpose... plenty of problems solved by it... etc. Right now- while there is no such thing for sale from Apple- we cast it like we cast phablets while Apple still clung to 3.5" and then 4" as "perfect" screen sizes... or NFC (pay by phone) while that was only a feature on Android phones. Before both of those, it was wall of disgust/contempt. At launch, it was "how did we ever get by with those puny screens?" and calls to boycott stores that wouldn't accept Apple Pay. What changed? Apple did not have it for sale... and then they did. Many of "our" (often very passionate) opinions seem to fluidly adjust- even flip flop- to that specific catalyst."an iPhone and an iPad, as a single product."
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Do we have a picture with the crease please, I have no idea how it looks like.
For anyone who doesn’t understand why Apple is doing a folding phone, you might want to google the Huawei Mate XT as an example. It costs a fortune, has excellent reviews, is expanding outside of China, and demand has been high.
From the initial pre-order back in September 2024: “The phone was sold out in "seconds" and Huawei was working to expand capacity, he added. Pre-orders for the Mate XT have surpassed 6.5 million, almost double the roughly 3.9 million foldable smartphones shipped worldwide in the second quarter of this year, according to consultancy IDC.”
YOU may not want one, but it should be abundantly clear why Apple would want a foldable phone. It’s called MONEY. Do you actually think they are going to ignore a smartphone segment that is this lucrative?
From the initial pre-order back in September 2024: “The phone was sold out in "seconds" and Huawei was working to expand capacity, he added. Pre-orders for the Mate XT have surpassed 6.5 million, almost double the roughly 3.9 million foldable smartphones shipped worldwide in the second quarter of this year, according to consultancy IDC.”
YOU may not want one, but it should be abundantly clear why Apple would want a foldable phone. It’s called MONEY. Do you actually think they are going to ignore a smartphone segment that is this lucrative?
I went through the flip phone era and I am glad we are past the period of folding phones, so this is not something that interests me at all. I have a 6.9" iPhone now and cannot for the life of me think why I'd want it to fold out into anything bigger while I am on the go. I have an iPad and could carry it daily, but don't have that need personally.
Nice to have the option though for people that do, as long as it doesn't come at the detriment of those that don't, and all flagship phones are not forced down the folding route.
Nice to have the option though for people that do, as long as it doesn't come at the detriment of those that don't, and all flagship phones are not forced down the folding route.
And please people, don’t start with that wasted “a solution in seek of a problem”, “gimmick” and “there’s no market for foldables” things…
Even if some people don’t like the foldables, Apple ones will change once again the smartphone industry, Apple is the only brand with the power and enough worldwide influence to massify these products and to begin a technology trend for real.
Flip and/or Fold iPhones for sure will reinvigorate stagnant current iPhone sales numbers and the current idea of keeping our phones for years instead of yearly upgrades, so lot of people will get to the stores by millions once again to buy a brand new foldable iPhone as was in iPhone best years.
Even if some people don’t like the foldables, Apple ones will change once again the smartphone industry, Apple is the only brand with the power and enough worldwide influence to massify these products and to begin a technology trend for real.
Flip and/or Fold iPhones for sure will reinvigorate stagnant current iPhone sales numbers and the current idea of keeping our phones for years instead of yearly upgrades, so lot of people will get to the stores by millions once again to buy a brand new foldable iPhone as was in iPhone best years.
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Feels like Apple takes so much time again that the market will have gone by the time it's out. I'd happy to buy one in September if they can push it out by then.
A roll-up screen would just mean that the crease is the whole screen.
I guess I'm just not the target market for this, but yourself and others here have helped me understand why it might be of use to others.
For me, a phone is a tool, I use mine as a phone and a camera and a browser... not much else.
I have no use for a tablet, so a phone that folds out to a tablet would just be a worse phone.
I will keep buying the plus sized pro phones, and ignore the foldable options (which I imagine will be options not replacements to the pro phones)
Also, am I the only one who found this funny? “both are said to have "’unprecedented aspect ratios.’”
My GOD! Those aspect ratios are UNPRECEDENTED! 🤯 My eyes have never SEEN dimensions such as these!
My GOD! Those aspect ratios are UNPRECEDENTED! 🤯 My eyes have never SEEN dimensions such as these!
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I actually am one of the few Apple people who do NOT own an iPhone or any smart phone. What do I do instead? Cellular iPad Mini with VOIP app and buds for phone calls. It works great for my mobile phone purposes. And IMO- ALL apps are better on the bigger screen. What is the most important thing it does NOT offer? IMO: pocket-ability. So I look at these concepts as an iPad that can fold into a pocketable size and- bonus- also run the Apple VOIP app. That seems very appealing to me.
Better margins with Apple. And Samsung Display, while mostly owned by Samsung Electronics, is still a separate company.
This actually sounds appealing to mini owners. If the outer display handles all types of content, then it sounds like a reasonably sized phone with iPad mini option. That is cool. Some of you may know me as generally pessimistic on these forums, but this is an exciting rumor.
Here we go again….
You are not everybody, on the contrary, a lot of people DO WANT this.
I really enjoyed reading your post, I feel the same way as you and I agree with all you stated. 👌🏻
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