There is no way Apple ever drops the iPhone branding imo
Too recognizable and just rolls off the tongue way better than "Apple Phone" would.
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Other Is the iPhone 17 “Slim” a folding iPhone? How else would you justify it’s highest price in the 17 lineup?
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Too recognizable and just rolls off the tongue way better than "Apple Phone" would.
Another rational explanation is that the price rumor is incorrect. Or other aspects of the rumor are incorrect (e.g., maybe it is a flip phone, or it has several other features to justify a higher price). Or, maybe it's made out of some premium new metal composite. Or it is powered by the bloviations of online commenters. Or it has an internal nuclear power generator. Or it is called "Slim" to be ironic and is 5 kg but offers a 1 year battery life.
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It can’t be this hard 
It’s a thin and light premium stylish model for people who want the most premium look and feel without the camera bump, unnecessary weight and bulk. It doesn’t have to be a useless stupid folding gimmick phone.
It’s a thin and light premium stylish model for people who want the most premium look and feel without the camera bump, unnecessary weight and bulk. It doesn’t have to be a useless stupid folding gimmick phone.They'll justify that by it being very thin. That's going to be the pitch. Foldables are still a niche market, Apple will probably enter eventually, but for now, a radically thinner redesign will be enough to create a new status symbol.
I wonder how Apple will justify the “status symbol” of having a fewer cameras and a short battery life. We’ve been there before with the mini.
Yep, if it is indeed just a Slim, very thin phone it wont sell well i reckon, just like the Mini. At least the Mini had a USP of being small and compact, but with equal features to its 6.1" bigger brother. But who knows, maybe it will sell well just for being a different form factor.
If Apple ever makes a Home-button phone again, they should name it Apple Phone Home.
Here's what I think might motivate Apple to produce a product with a stunted feature set, a possibly high price, with only 1 feature (thinness) with limited appeal: risk mitigation.
In this case, I think they might want to test their ability to produce critical new aspects of a future flagship phone - namely a foldable that's no thicker than a current phone when folded. To achieve that, it would have to be very thin when unfolded.
Releasing a product often turns up problems that extensive internal testing did not. (Think bendgate, antennagate, etc.) If Apple thinks they can create a breakthrough foldable, but a fatal flaw turned up after it was released, they'd have a big blight on their reputation.
Perhaps Apple is planning a foldable that requires an untested manufacturing process. And/or they're not sure what kind of real-world stress such a thin phone would be exposed to. Apple could get valuable experience with a small consumer base of a very thin phone.
In this case, I think they might want to test their ability to produce critical new aspects of a future flagship phone - namely a foldable that's no thicker than a current phone when folded. To achieve that, it would have to be very thin when unfolded.
Releasing a product often turns up problems that extensive internal testing did not. (Think bendgate, antennagate, etc.) If Apple thinks they can create a breakthrough foldable, but a fatal flaw turned up after it was released, they'd have a big blight on their reputation.
Perhaps Apple is planning a foldable that requires an untested manufacturing process. And/or they're not sure what kind of real-world stress such a thin phone would be exposed to. Apple could get valuable experience with a small consumer base of a very thin phone.
mini = cute
nano = alluring(?)
Pro = gadgety
Air = minimal
iPhone nano/Air (alluring/minimal) = object of desire for people who are bored with the Pro's form language
nano = alluring(?)
Pro = gadgety
Air = minimal
iPhone nano/Air (alluring/minimal) = object of desire for people who are bored with the Pro's form language
They supplied false rumours/3D models regarding the flat edged Apple Watch a few years ago so it is something they do
Nothing more than a gargantuan waste of time and resources, you could “speculate” for the next 200 years and still be wrong. this is your idea of fun? Wowsers.
Right, the Z Flip type folding phones don’t really offer any advantages besides style points
However the Z Fold type does offer an advantage with it’s extra large screen upon unfolding. I could maaaaaybe see Apple give that form factor a try if the materials were up to their standards and they thought it would be worth the investment into OS changes. But I don’t think the super soft screen that requires a screen protector and scratches with a fingernail is good enough for Apple
It can’t be this hard
I think folding is a stupid gimmick too, but I question how large the market is for those who want the most premium-looking phone, but not the most premium specs.
Perhaps this is genius on Apple's part, though. They are now (supposedly) creating two flagship phones: one that prioritizes form, and one that prioritizes function. Customers will now be able to choose which they value more (and choosing function will actually cost less).
But the Slim being a foldable or a "second flagship" relies entirely on one rumor suggesting it's going to cost more than the Pro Max. There is a third option: it's a replacement for the Plus, it sits at the lower end of the lineup, and it doesn't cost more than the Pro Max.
We shall see
I just read the all supply chain rumors closely and apply the following thinking:
Scenario 1
A foldable requires a different display, a split logic board, battery, and chassis to achieve weight distribution. So it's extremely unlikely Apple could do this without letting the supply chain know since the parts are very different. And the probability of all the analysts with contacts in the supply chain getting it wrong, seems zero.
Scenario 2
The Slim is simply a Slim. Apple will try to dress it up with a form factor change and unique design. But I don't see how Apple can charge ultra premium prices for it. This is supported by the fact none of the established analysts or supply chain guys said Slim would be priced higher than Pro Max.
Won’t be water resistant. I value those more than ports and other stuff making it more like a pc.
Yesterday's Upgrade podcast had a good take on it: In 2025, Apple will make the phone slimmer because that's the next design hurdle on the way to folding. In 2026, they will use what they learned from the process to make the iPhone fold slim enough to fit in a pocket when flipped shut. The 17 "Slim" will likely only be available for one generation. It is a stopgap. They won't wait to see how well it sells or solicit feedback. By the time it ships, they have already moved on to the next design challenge of the flip. That's not to say that the 18 won't get slimmer too. The slimmer form factor might make its way down to the Pro if Apple can hit a price it likes. It's also very possible the flip phone will be separate from usual Sept/Oct release schedule. Apple could be moving to two phone events a year like Samsung.
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Wow. Ok Mr. Serious, if this is such a waste of time, then why do you keep trolling this topic? Sjeez…
Interesting take, but I don't see much logic in that theory.
The 2024 iPad Pro has already been slimmed down to 5.3mm. The iPhone 15 is 7.8mm. So if Apple wants to learn anything, they've already done it with iPad Pro. An iPad is simply an iPhone without a cellular modem and super last gen rear camera.
What could Apple learn from mass producing a Slim? It doesn't have a split logic board, split battery, foldable display, folding mechanism, or special chassis.
When was the last time Apple beta tested something by mass production? Pretty much never. If they want to beta test a manufacturing process, they can manufacture 10,000 and scrap it. They don't need to waste marketing effort, R&D, shelf space, or the opportunity cost of a wasted year.
I will once again remind everyone, just because you don't see value in a foldable, doesn't mean others don't and that Apple will not force you to buy it or make all phones fold. I for one would never buy a Vision Pro, but I totally understand many that did, and further, wouldn't wish it didn't come / throw heaps of hate and "gimmicky" phrases around because at the end of the day, I love tech and trying new things, even if it's not for me.
For many of us, a foldable iPhone to iPad Mini is a dream. I've been testing a Zfold 6 and it's barely thicker feeling in my pocket. I can go from firing off a text, to split screen Threads and Reddit, and remote into my work PC on a tablet screen that fits into my pocket. For many, once we have this level of productivity that fits into a pocket and goes anywhere with us, it's hard to go back and has us lookin toward Android until if and when Apple makes a foldable.
Tl;dr. Cool ya'll's sh**. Other people may want it and no one forces you to buy it. New tech is cool tech.
For many of us, a foldable iPhone to iPad Mini is a dream. I've been testing a Zfold 6 and it's barely thicker feeling in my pocket. I can go from firing off a text, to split screen Threads and Reddit, and remote into my work PC on a tablet screen that fits into my pocket. For many, once we have this level of productivity that fits into a pocket and goes anywhere with us, it's hard to go back and has us lookin toward Android until if and when Apple makes a foldable.
Tl;dr. Cool ya'll's sh**. Other people may want it and no one forces you to buy it. New tech is cool tech.
Apple just needs to raise the ASP while maintaining the same shipment numbers as Plus. Why? Shipments of iPhone have been stagnant if not falling due to longer replacement cycles. Having a higher sales price helps offset that.
How can they do this? Apple can raise the price of Pro/Max because it has leading edge features: Titanium, 6.9-inch display, tandem OLED, mechanical aperture, folding, etc.
However, it isn't as easy with Plus. It has n-1 features and tech. Consumers aren't willing to pay $999 or $1,099 for that. The only way to raise ASP is to do something unique, like a Slim.
Slim doesn't need to be giant splash, it just needs to let Apple raise the price by $100 or $200 for that segment.
If it is *really* slim I bet it will fold when I put it in my back pockets and sit on it.
Queue the "I can fold my current phone just fine. Bro, do you even lift?" comments.
I'd counter "Pretty much always." Since when is any released product their idea of a "finished" product? There are always things to improve on. The Slim is just the best product they can ship in 2025. Eventually you just have to ship something. (Cough... Vision Pro... cough.) I don't think it is a final evolution, though. Your other points pass muster, however. It seems like it would take a couple revisions from Slim to Flip, so maybe 2026 is too optimistic, but that's what the leakers think is coming.
Yes, but the rumors are a flip device.
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