Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Solves a problem that doesn't exist, 6+ years after the competition launched their folding phones.
Friends I have that had LG and Samsung foldables got them at extreme discount, and said they would never buy another foldable phone (crease in the screen that forms, grit and dirt that gets on the screens grinds in your pocket, etc)
Oh perfect, cancel the entire product line epox999’s inner circle of bargain-bin phone experts has spoken. Six years of engineering? Trash it. Billions in R&D? Pointless. If Kyle’s half-broken 2019 Fold got lint in his pocket, clearly no one on Earth should ever innovate again.
 
Whatever iPhone Apple is making for next year, such options as this older phone from Oppo has would be appreciated.
 
Oh perfect, cancel the entire product line epox999’s inner circle of bargain-bin phone experts has spoken. Six years of engineering? Trash it. Billions in R&D? Pointless. If Kyle’s half-broken 2019 Fold got lint in his pocket, clearly no one on Earth should ever innovate again.
They would be better off in a Blue Ocean market here, not coming into a niche market 6+ years after the competition
 


Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will have a frame that's made from a mix of titanium and aluminum, analyst Jeff Pu said today in a note shared with investors.

Apple-Foldable-Thumb.jpg

Pu suggested that Apple will expand its use of titanium, with the material set to be used in both the 2026 iPhone Fold and iPhone Air models. This isn't the first time a mixed metal chassis has been rumored for the foldable iPhone, because Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that Apple will use multiple materials.

While Pu says Apple is going to use titanium and aluminum, Kuo said that Apple will use titanium and stainless steel. He suggested that the foldable iPhone's hinge will be made from stainless steel and titanium, with the device's frame set to be made from titanium. Kuo also believes some hinge components will be made from Liquidmetal for further durability.

The foldable iPhone is rumored to be as thin as 4.5mm when opened up, which would make it even thinner than the iPhone Air. It would need the strength of a titanium frame to prevent bending issues. Apple gave the iPhone Air a titanium frame, and that proved to be a good decision because multiple bend tests show that the titanium Apple used for the iPhone Air is resistant to bending.

Kuo did not mention aluminum as a potential material for the foldable iPhone. Pu's wording isn't entirely clear on how Apple will use the two materials, but he's either suggesting that Apple plans to use a titanium and aluminum hybrid compound for the device's frame, or saying Apple will use titanium in some areas and aluminum in other areas.

Small amounts of aluminum are often used in titanium alloys, and the two metals can be combined in higher proportions as well. Since titanium is heavier than aluminum, Apple might also be planning to use titanium for the stress bearing parts of the frame and aluminum elsewhere to cut weight.

Apple's foldable iPhone is expected to be part of the iPhone 18 lineup, launching in September 2026. Rumors suggest that the display will be around 5.5 inches in size when closed, unfolding to approximately 7.8 inches when opened up.

More information about the foldable iPhone can be found in our guide.

Article Link: Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Rumored to Use Titanium and Aluminum Frame

But cuento costo? The first 2K iPhone?
 
So fold style not flip style? I feel like flip style foldable phones are more popular

I think only Motorola and a Chinese company or two make flip phones. Foldable phones seem to be more popular.

I think because they merge the tablet and phone to make people justify the price.

It would almost be like a iPad Mini.
 
  • Like
Reactions: solarmon
I think only Motorola and a Chinese company or two make flip phones. Foldable phones seem to be more popular.

I think because they merge the tablet and phone to make people justify the price.

It would almost be like a iPad Mini.
Samsung sells more foldable phones then all other companies combined and the z flip out sells the z fold in the us not sure about worldwide they haven't released any actual numbers per samsung newsroom
 
Do these foldable phones really cost $2000? If so, I just don't know. I love the idea of basically a phone and an iPad mini, but makes me wonder which software will it run? iOS or iPadOS? Closed size needs to be a little bigger than the rumored size for me since I also use a MagSafe holder in my truck. What would a case for something like this look like? I also prefer titanium to be used for sure.

If Apple can figure out how to keep from creasing and a gap opening under the screen, they may have the next big thing....
 
Beyond the hinge issue that comes with a folding screen, the other big problem that I see needing resolution is the softness and imperfection of the surface of the interior screen. It harkens back to a time [that so many people just haven’t experienced] when touch screens were made using a thin film cover that too easily could be dented and damaged, even by a fingernail.

And this was when touch screens were not touched nearly as much because the software just wasn’t built around an all-touch interface. Every time I’ve tried a recent foldable, I’m surprised by how irregular and imperfect the feel of the screen is, and question how people put up with the softness and feel of using these devices.

When Apple introduced the original iPhone with its glass covered screen, it was, in my opinion, one of the biggest shifts in tech. Touch screens where what you touch is rigid, solid and unforgiving became the standard after years of the plastic screened devices, and I’m just not willing to go back to using a similar type of touch screen today, knowing it will not survive regular daily use.
I shared your opinions on the display, also based on past experiences with many different smartphones especially within the Android space.

But that was then and this is now, material advances are remarkable. Remaining open minded and looking for a new experience, I bought a Z Fold7.

After some time now I’m pleasantly surprised and completely satisfied with the display on this phone. The composition of the display material results in a very durable surface that’s a pleasure to use.
 
i look forward to us hearing about what kind of technical challenge they have that resulted in this.
What we’d likely to hear is marketing massaging of “challenges” that isn’t remotely interesting. What would be is Apple engineers doing some sort of interview telling the story of development, and sharing some of those nitty gritty details.
The most interesting thing about this phone is which OS does it get?
iPadOS or iOS which split a couple of years ago.
I'd guess iOS since it needs to be a phone more than an iPad.
But then it might miss out on Apple Pencil support, multitasking windows etc if it does?
Maybe iFoldOS? So device would be called iFold. A folding device that can call.
 
I’m just thinking… it’s almost 20 years since the first iPhone launched. it must be stressful to come up with new products EVERY year lmao.

I know it takes hundreds/thousands to achieve, but man… having to plan it all out sounds stressful.
 
I think we’re overthinking this especially with the current Apple hardware “geniuses”. It’s just going to be two Airs slapped together including the camera module.
Isn't the general view that Apple's hardware is . . . really good? I mean, the Air itself is a masterclass of good engineering and build.
 
That is about the silliest thing I've read on this forum in a long time--AND probably one of the most clever! Genius! I have a lazy right eye too.

I read your first two posts, and my brain was hearing the pronunciation in a British accent for some reason...then I read your third post. Surely you were cracking yourself up while posting that...I know I would have been cracking myself up.

My entertainment cup is full for the day. And I'm still chuckling...well played man.
My only goal is to crack myself up. If anyone else finds any joy in it, bonus! 😉
 
  • Like
Reactions: zenmacx
I'll just get the Apple Miracle Crease Polishing Cloth ($99) when this drops, and wait one more year for the nano-graphene liquid unobtainium update.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zenmacx
I look forward to the inevitable initial playing around with the "iBook" and realizing that all I need is the iPhone Air that I already own. The whole value proposition hinges on the quality of the folding mechanism, and probably iPad app support.

 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.