iPhone Fold to Feature iPad-Style Multitasking and Layouts

[Mr_Ed]

Having a pretty stupid virtual assistant on your phone definitely isn't a feature.

It's amazing how people still don't get it.

Is it so hard to understand people want to be the ones actually in control of their time, calendars, texts, and emails?

- To be able to add something to your calendar right from an e-mail on your screen, and then at the same time, add a reminder to complete something from that e-mail... That's what good AI will excel at.

We can do this now without Apple Intelligence. References to things that look like appointments are already highlighted. A quick tap gets you going with the calendar process. If that is what you want to do.

- To be able to ask a question about your medication and get an accurate answer... That is good AI.

They key there is, if the information is actually accurate.

- To be able to have Gemini or Siri create a table or create formulas to save you time and a headache... That is also good AI.

Again, if it is done correctly. Otherwise you’ll be spending time checking the generated work and making corrections.

- To be able to take a text message you've received and automatically have your phone's assistant add it to a calendar, and then draft an email to your colleagues about said information... That is good AI.

Again, if you actually intend to do those things for every text message. What I said above about facilitating the calendar process also applies to text messages.

I guess people that don't find these features useful aren't important enough at their job to utilize these features. If that's the case, that sounds like a you problem and not a problem with AI, or the phone, or Apple, or Google. The whole point of a smart phone is to have smart, useful features that continue to advance. You should probably buy a TCL flip phone if it's too much for you.

Successful professionals understand they are held accountable for every interaction and maintain a carefully crafted persona in all interactions regardless of medium. That requires control, not blind trust of technology.

 

[macaron35]

my friends' samsung foldable devices have been replaced many times, I am trusting this technology at all. I don't understand why Apple is taking this path

 

[clg82]

How exactly would you run two apps side by side on Pro Max?

Turning the phone on landscape would be one way, I do it every day on my S26 Ultra and it works flawlessly.

 

[The Game 161]

and we know they won't let regular iphones get the multitasking features.

finally though we knew it has to have the multitasking as it will be built to be more productive. maybe window support won't be as good but hopefully they still allow some window support along with spilt screen

 

[The Game 161]

Apple won't be doing windowed apps on the foldable iPhone according to Gurman, so there's nothing lost for the iPhone Pro Max.

"While the foldable iPhone won’t run several windows at once like an iPad mini, it will be able to show two apps side by side."

actually he said they won't run several windows at once. doesn't really say they won't use any window apps.

 

[HouseLannister]

my friends' samsung foldable devices have been replaced many times

my uncle who works at nintendo told me the tech has been perfected and there is no cause for worry. also AppleCare.

 

[The Game 161]

my friends' samsung foldable devices have been replaced many times, I am trusting this technology at all. I don't understand why Apple is taking this path

sounds like they are careless with their samsung phones if it keeps needing to be replaced. apple is taking this path as it's another big profit gainer for them if they get many on board.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

I think you did the math wrong on the fold size. If just using your pic.

The iPad folded in half would be still be 134.8mm tall but the 195.4mm/2.

So Mini is 131.5 x 65m, the fold would be 134.8 x 97 mm

So just a little taller than the iPhone 13 mini but significantly wider than it.

oops...you're quite correct. My maths definitely failed to math properly.

 

[JPack]

Turning the phone on landscape would be one way, I do it every day on my S26 Ultra and it works flawlessly.

How does the keyboard work when the display is already split in half?

1/2 of a display with another 1/3 gone to a keyboard? That can’t possibly be “flawless.”

 

[clg82]

How does the keyboard work when the display is already split in half?

1/2 of a display with another 1/3 gone to a keyboard? That can’t possibly be “flawless.”

It depends on what app you're using, when I'm using email or texting you can extend and configure the keyboard any way you like that works for you. That's the beauty of android is the customization.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

The upcoming foldable iPhone that Apple plans to debut this September will operate like a cross between an iPhone and an iPad, reports Bloomberg.

When the device is opened up, the UI will have an iPad-like layout that supports multitasking with two apps side-by-side. No iPhone to date has supported running multiple apps on the display at the same time, beyond simple picture-in-picture mode features.

Many apps will feature sidebars on the left of the display, and developers will be given tools to adapt their existing apps for the new interface.

The iPad interface makes sense because the iPhone Fold is something of an iPhone and iPad hybrid. When closed, it will resemble a traditional slab-style iPhone, but when open, it will be closer to the size of the iPad mini. Rather than a tall design, Apple is using a wider design than its competitors, and it is expected to have a 4:3 aspect ratio.

A wider display will make the iPhone Fold more useful for side-by-side apps, video watching, and similar tasks that people are used to doing with an iPad. When the iPhone Fold is closed, the outer display will look like a standard iPhone. It will display apps and it will have a hole-punch front-facing camera for selfies, but there isn't Face ID support. Instead, Apple is using a fingerprint sensor that's included in the power button. The camera area will still support Dynamic Island features for Live Activities and relevant notifications even though there's no TrueDepth system.

Apple did test a camera that was underneath the inner display, but it produced poor images compared to the hole punch version, so Apple opted for a visible camera. The rear area will have dual cameras, but no triple-lens camera system because of space constraints.

Though the iPhone Fold will have a display with some features that are also available on the iPad, it will run iOS, not iPadOS. It will not support the full range of multitasking features that are available on the iPad, and it won't run existing iPadOS apps.

Apple plans to price the iPhone Fold somewhere around $2,000, and it will be the most expensive iPhone in the 2026 lineup.

Article Link: iPhone Fold to Feature iPad-Style Multitasking and Layouts

Awesome features! The dream phablet! The rumor so far looks and sounds superb! Price is justified with the capabilities offered and Apple perfect quality product and service to their customers. All great!

 

[hans1972]

samsung fold 7 has real multitasking like 4 or 3 apps side by side, iPhone is always behind

Multitasking isn't defined by how many application you can have side by side.
It's the number of tasks the computer can do "simultaneously" as seen by a human.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

A wider display will make the iPhone Fold more useful for side-by-side apps, video watching, and similar tasks that people are used to doing with an iPad. When the iPhone Fold is closed, the outer display will look like a standard iPhone. It will display apps and it will have a hole-punch front-facing camera for selfies, but there isn't Face ID support. Instead, Apple is using a fingerprint sensor that's included in the power button. The camera area will still support Dynamic Island features for Live Activities and relevant notifications even though there's no TrueDepth system.

Coming from an OG SE to the 13 Mini, I really loved the FaceID vs fingerprint reader. I know some prefer the latter but reliability of FaceID has personally been a great feature for me. So it's a shame that it's not included.

Initially thought we might get an under display reader instead. But the way the article describes it, it will be incorporated into a physical power button? Or perhaps this combination will be under the display so there isn't the traditional bezel to accommodate?

 

[bluebar]

The upcoming foldable iPhone that Apple plans to debut this September will operate like a cross between an iPhone and an iPad, reports Bloomberg.

When the device is opened up, the UI will have an iPad-like layout that supports multitasking with two apps side-by-side. No iPhone to date has supported running multiple apps on the display at the same time, beyond simple picture-in-picture mode features.

Many apps will feature sidebars on the left of the display, and developers will be given tools to adapt their existing apps for the new interface.

The iPad interface makes sense because the iPhone Fold is something of an iPhone and iPad hybrid. When closed, it will resemble a traditional slab-style iPhone, but when open, it will be closer to the size of the iPad mini. Rather than a tall design, Apple is using a wider design than its competitors, and it is expected to have a 4:3 aspect ratio.

A wider display will make the iPhone Fold more useful for side-by-side apps, video watching, and similar tasks that people are used to doing with an iPad. When the iPhone Fold is closed, the outer display will look like a standard iPhone. It will display apps and it will have a hole-punch front-facing camera for selfies, but there isn't Face ID support. Instead, Apple is using a fingerprint sensor that's included in the power button. The camera area will still support Dynamic Island features for Live Activities and relevant notifications even though there's no TrueDepth system.

Apple did test a camera that was underneath the inner display, but it produced poor images compared to the hole punch version, so Apple opted for a visible camera. The rear area will have dual cameras, but no triple-lens camera system because of space constraints.

Though the iPhone Fold will have a display with some features that are also available on the iPad, it will run iOS, not iPadOS. It will not support the full range of multitasking features that are available on the iPad, and it won't run existing iPadOS apps.

Apple plans to price the iPhone Fold somewhere around $2,000, and it will be the most expensive iPhone in the 2026 lineup.

Article Link: iPhone Fold to Feature iPad-Style Multitasking and Layouts

I was really excited about the new iPhone Fold and was planning on buying one until the rumor is that it is going to run iOS and not both iOS and iPadOS. I don't want to run two iPhone apps side-by-side. I want to use the outer screen to run iPhone apps and the inner screen to run iPad apps. As both an iPhone and iPad user, this does not address my need for one device. I would still have to carry two devices.

 

[chars1ub0w]

Two apps side by side is very welcome. Imagine Maps directions active on one side and you still have a bicycle rear radar display or Safari still open on the other side. I can't imagine that the new iOS won't also be available for the iPhone Pros.

 

[eifelbube]

On Android you can have floating Apps, which is very conventient when you just want to check your emails or answer a text without leaving the app you are fully merged in, in that moment. When you are done, you can minimize it to a tiny bubble and return to it again by just tapping on it

In my use case example I am browsing the web, quickly write something on Whatsapp and can also glance at my email inbox without actually leaving the browser. I can also quickly check the latest Instagram stories without leaving my main app that id be going back to right after anyway.

Constantly flipping between apps to do a temporary task seems inconvenient to me now after trying out Android. It disrupts my work flow. Open, close, open close, open close

View attachment 2612409

For a Pro Max especially, that capability would make really sense in my view. Why can Apple not provide it as an option?

My only concern would be that given iOS 26’s obsession with UI cosmetics, the background would bleed through the “Nachricht” overlay in this example.

 

[eifelbube]

On Android you can have floating Apps, which is very conventient when you just want to check your emails or answer a text without leaving the app you are fully merged in, in that moment. When you are done, you can minimize it to a tiny bubble and return to it again by just tapping on it

In my use case example I am browsing the web, quickly write something on Whatsapp and can also glance at my email inbox without actually leaving the browser. I can also quickly check the latest Instagram stories without leaving my main app that id be going back to right after anyway.

Constantly flipping between apps to do a temporary task seems inconvenient to me now after trying out Android. It disrupts my work flow. Open, close, open close, open close

View attachment 2612409

addendum to my earlier reply:
Where in your example screen for the floating app does the keyboard pop up?

 

[AppleFan91]

🤦‍♂️

There isn't. The hardware of the Pro/Pro Max can absolutely support multi-view/split screen.

 

[Farquar]

There isn't. The hardware of the Pro/Pro Max can absolutely support multi-view/split screen.

It's way too small to be usable. That's why it isn't there.

 

[AppleFan91]

It's way too small to be usable. That's why it isn't there.

That's your opinion. Competing devices that are the same/similar in size do it just fine, as has been discussed in this thread

 

[erihp]

It's folding the wrong way.

 

[OGdrknight]

So essentially this is a smaller foldable iPod mini that can make calls.

 

[erihp]

So essentially this is a smaller foldable iPod mini that can make calls.

ipad mini maybe?

 

[mudflap]

It's got everything I want, except the price tag. Just like the Studio Display XDR.

Good luck finding a display as good as that one with that tech in it at a more reasonable price. But yeah, it's a lot, that's for sure.

 

[contacos]

addendum to my earlier reply:
Where in your example screen for the floating app does the keyboard pop up?

Like normal at the bottom, it moves the pop up window further up while you type

You can also adjust how see through the pop up is but I never use it. Gimmick