Apple's Long-Rumored Foldable iPhone is Starting to Sound Serious

[routine_analyst]

2 years from now...
Apple cancels rumored foldable phone having spent billions in R&D. Sources close to the project claim leadership conflicts and mismanagement.

I picture a room full of goodies that no one else can see but Tim Cook. The AirPower charger.. Project Titan (the car)... the original AppleTV (a real TV)... Wifi Mesh AirPort that doubles as a HomePod... the Apple Glasses. Wonder when Vision Pro gets tossed into the vault.

 

[cjsuk]

Everyone wants AI! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Everyone wants foldables! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Smelling like Microsoft now.

 

[9081094]

An iPhone and iPad mini in one. Could be interesting.

Would be interesting if the software would support it. Don’t see Apple coming up with an iOS or iPadOS that fully supports it.

 

[9081094]

Everyone wants AI! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Everyone wants foldables! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Smelling like Microsoft now.

Even Microsoft is making bigger and faster changes in their hardware than Apple these days.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

Judging from this thread, no matter what Apple does they'll disappoint half the people interested in a foldable iPhone

In the MR forums, people will complain that despite the form factor it doesn't have TWO MagSafe chargers.

 

[Lizzard899]

It looks more like a mini ipad that folds out into a book than it does a phone. I just thought of something, if it opens up like a book then its gonna be weird when theyre on the phone with someone because its gonna look like everyone has this big book theyre holding to their ear when theyre on the phone with someone. But I know these days most ppl dont call ppl and if they do they put them on speaker. I would never buy a phone that cost in the $1-2,000 range

 

[Neil J. Squillante]

Everyone wants AI! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Everyone wants foldables! - apple jumps on bandwagon. Turns out to be a turd.

Smelling like Microsoft now.

Yes it’s potentially troubling. Apple ignored fads like netbooks, launching the iPad instead. But it jumped on the large phone bandwagon, which was a wise decision. Let’s hope Apple’s foldable is to current foldables what AirPods were to Bluetooth headphones in 2016.

 

[spartan1967]

I wonder how Apple came to the conclusion people want a fold vs a flip. Isn’t the whole premise behind a collapsible device to make it more compact & not be an iPhone that opens up to an iPad?

 

[thecivilengineer]

I fear that they’re making the same mistake as with the Vision Pro.

I would’ve preferred a clamshell the size of the discontinued mini that only had essential functions to reduce my phone addiction.

 

[switz]

Since this vaporware could be priced from $2,500 to $3,500, it could be like the googles at $3,500. Not a huge crowd at that price point. One could need cargo pants leg pocket size for the unit to reside in. Sure would be easy for a thief to see and then try and steal.

At least the Pro Max 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 all look the same so not much of a visual clue for potential thief's attention.

 

[dominiongamma]

A 5.5-inch outer display? That's too small and disappointing.

I’m thinking version 2 will bring a bigger screen for that

 

[icwhatudidthere]

A 5.5-inch outer display? That's too small and disappointing.

Yeah I just realized it’s the size of the iPhone mini. It’s the return of the iPhone mini folks!

 

[Velin]

How is Apple going to best something like the Oppo Find N5? Software won’t do it.

 

[carrrrrlos]

Curious if it will launch with Apple Intelligence.

 

[racerhomie]

I am not betting anything on it until Ross Young or the Wall Street Journal has something on this

 

[Plerf]

I don’t care if it [indescribable acts] you’ll never talk me into a $2300 phone.

This ain’t it, Tim.

 

[Plerf]

A 5.5-inch outer display? That's too small and disappointing.

I know right?

iPhone mini on the outside, awkward square-ish iPad mini on the inside.

 

[tyranne201]

Too big to use like a phone when unfolded. don't like.

 

[0049190]

Those dimensions don’t add up. The Galaxy Z fold has a 6.3” outer display and a 7.6” inner display. The Google Fold 9 has a 6.3” outer display and 8” inner display. Why would the iPhone Fold only have a 5.5” outer display? That screen size would not cover the whole device.

 

[Plerf]

if this is the price of a phone that becomes an iPad, I’m looking forward to the price of the iPad that becomes a glass MacBook.

 

[applefella]

I've never bought the "bookstyle" phones. I owned a clamshell Startak ages ago. I've only ever been on iPhones. Personally, I would have preferred a clamshell style...

I'm not sure if I really want a book-style phone. I play games on my phone. If the front of the device works well by itself while gaming, OK.

The other thing is the hinge. I'd rather prefer an ugly hinge with visible metal parts / two separate screens... compared to a thin screen with a crease line in it...

I don't know why I hate the foldable screen business. I just do. I feel like two separate screens working together in tandem would have been fine.

It's kind of like the problem with absurdly thin bezels or extremely thin phones.

I'd rather have practicality where it's useful (better battery life > slightly thinner phone, workable device with hinges > device with super fancy foldable screen that gets a crease in it later anyway).

I've been eyeing the iPad mini... Wanted one with a really awesome screen... But they went and made the screen "laggy" compared to the phones... I was so disappointed.

Current Mac Mini looks awesome, though.

 

[turbineseaplane]

So no flip option and we continue on with absolutely nothing on offer for those who don’t want a ginormous phablet thing.

 

[ZeroInspo]

Would be interesting if the software would support it. Don’t see Apple coming up with an iOS or iPadOS that fully supports it.

iPadOS is iOS. Literally.

 

[ZeroInspo]

Those dimensions don’t add up. The Galaxy Z fold has a 6.3” outer display and a 7.6” inner display. The Google Fold 9 has a 6.3” outer display and 8” inner display. Why would the iPhone Fold only have a 5.5” outer display? That screen size would not cover the whole device.

Bezels. Edge to edge screens make no sense in tablets, you need somewhere to hold them.

 

[MasterControlProgram]

If that outer screen is really narrow like other foldables it’s not going to be a great experience. If they’re going for this form factor, I think that China-exclusive tri-fold phone would have been better to emulate.

I’m curious how iOS will handle the two screen sizes, if neither screen is equivalent to the existing 16:9 aspect ratio of the iPhone I can see a lot of app layouts breaking if they’re using constraints instead of SwiftUI.