Foldable iPhone Said to Have Two Key Advantages

[KurtMann]

I predict this will be prohibitively expensive.

 

[JohnC1959]

I predict this will be prohibitively expensive.

For you personally, or for everyone? There's a good number of people that either have a LOT of money or aren't very wise with their money. I wouldn't be surprised if this phone gets up to 5% or more of the total iPhones sales -- that's enough to pay for the R&D, take away some sales from Samsung and pave the way for future foldables that might better target a larger market share.

 

[dampfnudel]

No being able to see the crease sounds like a minimum standard for a folding phone to me. I wouldn't even consider one with a visible crease. That's why I think the current ones on the market are a joke.

I’m curious how Apple will pull that off. Maybe Samsung is working on it and will “$hare” it with Apple in addition to introducing it on their own devices?

 

[dampfnudel]

While the iPhone Air will have a smaller battery than the regular iPhone, the iPhonebook can have at least double the battery of the Air. Probably more than double since both sides wont have to have the same internal components taking up space which could be devoted to a larger battery. Knowing Apple, it will have their standard all-day batteryy life when open all the time, but much better battery life when used in a more realistic 50/50 open/closed usage split.

regarding camera compromises, I would take a single camera with a 1” sensor over multiple cameras with smaller sensors.

Has there been a rumor that the 17 Air will get a 1” sensor?

 

[subjonas]

I'll take half that phone for like half the price

And probably half the battery life 😳

 

[subjonas]

The Internet: I want my iPhone to run MacOS.
Also the Internet: Why does my phone keep throttling?

😂

How about a lite version of macOS but redesigned for touch? And an ecosystem of touch apps to go with it? They could call it maclitetouchOS. That would take over the market!

 

[FranApple]

A lot of people, apparently. Not me, but a lot.

If I was to buy a foldable, I would want a clamshell. Smaller than a standard phone when closed. I don't need all the extra screen.

Is it a lot though? I thought I saw 50 million units as the annual volume for foldables. Sounds like a big number, but pales in comparison to non-foldables.

 

[subjonas]

Is it a lot though? I thought I saw 50 million units as the annual volume for foldables. Sounds like a big number, but pales in comparison to non-foldables.

Compared to all non-foldables? You should probably only compare to Android phones in the same price range (or closest to it)—since Apple hasn’t made a foldable yet and folding may not be enough of a draw to get iPhone users to switch, and since foldables are probably out of the price range of many budget-minded users. It’s probably still nowhere near a majority or anything, but that comparison would more accurately show how many prefer folding over not folding all else being as equal as possible.

 

[Le0M]

probably closer than you think. but yeah it'll be iOS with certain visual adaptations from iPadOS.

Don't misunderstand me: I too wish Apple better adapted its software to the hardware, but recently they're having some difficulties keeping up

 

[Le0M]

Since iOS isn't formatted for wider screens it's bound to get iPadOS features like split screen (or stage manager if the rumors about stage manager being on iPhones is true), responsive iPad apps, and the dock on the internal screen. It doesn't make sense to run two OSes so maybe this will begin the process of merging both into a single responsive OS.

But really, knowing Apple they will complicate things by creating FoldOS as yet another Operating System. LOL

I think Apple will just adapt iOS to a bigger screen, simply because it's the easiest thing to do.
It would be nice it they adapted iPadOS instead, though.

 

[ds2000]

I would like it.

Same, I'd bin off the iPad probably, so long as it records spacial photos and videos (preferably in 8k)

 

[attila]

If it doesn’t have its own special version of iOS, it is dead on arrival.

That's what they said about the iPad in 2011.

 

[darngooddesign]

That's what they said about the iPad in 2011.

And it did. The first iPad had UI features not available on the iPhone; features optimized for the iPad's larger screen.

 

[clg82]

I feel like other foldable makers also tout the "greatly reduced crease". But it is always still there.

You could say the same for the obnoxious "notch" that everyone has grown accustom too on the iPhone.

 

[jlc1978]

How about a lite version of macOS but redesigned for touch? And an ecosystem of touch apps to go with it? They could call it maclitetouchOS. That would take over the market!

They do, it's called iPadOS.

"Touch ID power button instead of Face ID" yes yes just take my money!

Why not both?

Since Apple got into serious durability screen stuff.

Any screen that has a fold will have at least some part made of soft stuff.

I'm not so sure it has to be soft as much as thin to fold well. The challenge I see is getting the pixels lined up so there is a true solid light source and no seam.

 

[ty2245]

We gotta keep up with the Jones's. Apple is good at this. Expect a solid device. I just hope it will come to me when I call it.

 

[Rayansb]

They do, it's called iPadOS.



Why not both?



I'm not so sure it has to be soft as much as thin to fold well. The challenge I see is getting the pixels lined up so there is a true solid light source and no seam.

I'd never say no to both! I've always wanted both.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

Not so: It's estimated that Apple has unsold between 200,000 and 230,000 Vision Pro headsets. While component manufacturers produced enough parts for roughly 500,000 to 600,000 devices, sales only reached around 370,000 units by October 2024, with potential for another 50,000 by the end of the year. This indicates a significant unsold inventory, leading to production cuts and potential cessation of production, according to reports.

Wow! I wonder what Apple is going to do with all those leftover assembled AVPs and parts. They probably don't need that many parts for servicing for the lifetime of the product. Dropping the price to the point where significantly more people buy this first version of the AVP might cut into Apple's sales of their incremental AVP update that's supposed to contain an M5 chip. I'm wondering how many of these parts they'll be using in that incremental update of the AVP.

 

[jfreedle2]

Clearly your market research is superior to that performed by the world's largest most successful tech company.

/s

You know that it is just a rumor?

 

[jfreedle2]

the millions of people who will end up buying one in its first year?

Not millions, maybe only a few thousand, if they are lucky.

 

[jfreedle2]

The hinge is always going to be the weak point in these types of phones. I have friends with Galaxy Fold phones. They're nice enough but I haven't seen one of these phone last two years so far and it's because the area around the hinge fails. I have never seen a phone fail until I saw the Galaxy Fold fail.

I wonder if these will have screen protector pre-installed like the Galaxy Fold phones do. That was another issue. One of my friends needed to get her screen protector replaced after about a year. And Samsung insists on doing.

I maybe see one person with a fold every three years or so.

 

[jfreedle2]

And we are driving Apple’s decisions… you’re welcome.

Nope, it would be a one run product if the rumor becomes true. Nobody uses foldable devices, and the current ones are crap.

 

[jfreedle2]

"Touch ID power button instead of Face ID" yes yes just take my money!

Nope, FaceID is better.

 

[jfreedle2]

You should be able to unlock your phone without looking at it.

Why would you want to?

 

[Mercury7]

You could say the same for the obnoxious "notch" that everyone has grown accustom too on the iPhone.

And the camera bump too, as with all these new designs it’s hard to know how I would like them til I hold them in my hand… I would probably only get excited if we were discussing a new iPhone mini pro…. Still holding on to my 13 mini for now