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I was hoping for a flip-style device that could replace the 13 mini. But book-style means that when it's folded it most likely will be just as large as other current Apple offerings. And at that price point (into Mac Studio territory), I couldn't justify it. I guess I'll have to wait until an Apple Watch becomes more independent of the iPhone. Then I'd have a small communication device and use my iPad for games, email and the like.
Even a flip style device wouldn’t replace a 13 Mini (it will be way too thick). I don’t know why people keep speaking about “Mac Studio territory”: we are speaking about two totally different devices.

Which ones are $2000?
A galaxy Fold 5 was €2000 in Europe (an iPhone 16 Pro Max is about €1400).
You're not sandwiching two phones together. It's just a bigger display. This isn't like fusing two m-chips together. You also seem to forget at this point, this type of device is over 6 years old. Is any other folding phone two phone fused together? Nope.
It isn’t like sandwiching two phones but it also isn’t just a bigger display: it is way more complex than that, because there are an hinge and a foldable display.This type of display is over 5 years old and no one made it right so far. Not sure if Apple can do any better.
Having owned a Z Flip 4 and spent time playing with a Fold 5 I'm curious what Apple will bring to the table. But I'm afraid I won't be able to justify the price.
Just like I cannot justify Fold 4 and Fold 5 prices…
If it’s close to $2000, I’ll be getting one. The only thing I that keeps me from using my Pixel 9 Pro Fold as my daily driver is the fact that it doesn’t run iOS. Otherwise, it’s a great device I use daily
I strongly suspect it will costs more than $2000…
 
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Those that actually own foldables and use them everyday will attest to the crease being the lowest priority. Apple should focus on:

Software
Thinness
Weight
Camera quality
IP rating for dust/sand
Apple Pencil support
Durability
Battery life

Nail down all those other design challenges before worrying about minimal crease.

People that complain about the crease typically lack any real-world experience with a foldable (as opposed to a flip phone). People imagine they'll feel the crease every time they swipe or scroll because they're used to how their thumb or finger slides across the middle of a narrow slab phone. What they fail to realize, due to lack of first-hand experience, is the wider inner screen of a foldable makes it difficult to reach the middle where the crease is. In reality, with two-handed use your thumbs are scrolling along the outer third of the large display and rarely encounters the crease. That is why so few foldable owners actually complain about the crease. And when watching content on the glorious, large display, the crease is literally invisible. The crease is there if people want to fixate on it but that's like going for a run and realizing your socks are mismatched -- it's not a big deal.
I had REAL WOLRD experience with a foldable (Fold 5) and the crease is there, undeniably there, and i cannot stand it. Never.
It is not something you imagine. It is something you can see and feel on everyday usage. Foldable owners don’t complain because they have to justify their purchase, typically.
Even if it has Touch ID, I wouldn't be surprised if it still has a notch or Dynamic Notchland. The entire current MacBook line has Touch ID, but every one of those models has a notch. Tim Cook is clueless and mediocre, so he probably doesn't see the ridiculousness of a device having both Touch ID and a notch.
Sure i think a lot of apple shareholders are considering Tim Cook mediocre and they’ll be eager to have someone smart like you as a CEO instead.
Samsung might have solved it. And Apple is preparing to use Samsung panels, if I remember correctly.

Very curious to see one on a real phone before judging. But if you look at the article, the crease is still very visible on the new panel. It is just less prominent than the one on the Fold 6. For me is still a no-go.
Did they not learn with the Apple Vision Pro that people are bit done with paying stupid prices for little benefit?
Sooner or later they’ll learn. We must keep voting with our wallet.
I predict the complaints will be the lack of software features for multitasking/ multi-windows.
Multiwindows already is in iPadOS , so I think it will be easily extended to iOS.
 
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So this timeline seems to confirm my suspicion that the iPhone Air development is likely prep work for making a foldable where each side is very thin, to help ramp up production for specialized components and lower cost in the future.

Three things:
  1. They said the same thing about the new iPad Pro, saying it would cost $2000 when it starts at $999/1299. That being said, we are in the time of weird tariff standoffs, so who knows—the iPhone Pro might be $2000 by then.
  2. I would not buy the first generation of this thing. Foldables are weird and first generation typically have strange unforeseen issues. I'm sure Apple has learned from other's mistakes, but I still wouldn't be surprised if there is some odd, random "gate" that comes out of this with people receiving settlements for $12.98 in 2032.
  3. I hope they advance iPadOS even more, as this thing would likely run a hybrid of the two. Being able to travel but dock my iPhone to a TV or something over USB-C and use it like a desktop in a pinch would be amazing. iPadOS needs to be more like macOS Lite—especially when docked.
 
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Apple's first foldable iPhone should arrive around the end of 2026 or early 2027 with a book-style design and a premium price tag of over $2,000, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a report today, Kuo outlines his expectations for the device, noting that it will have an approximately 7.8-inch "crease-free" inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, matching a rumor from last month.

iPhone-Fold-Vertical-Feature.jpg

Kuo says that the foldable iPhone will measure between 9 and 9.5 mm when folded, and around 4.5 to 4.8 mm when unfolded. It will feature a titanium alloy casing with a hinge made of stainless steel and titanium alloy, and it will have a dual-lens rear camera with a front-facing camera for both folded and unfolded states.

Notably, Kuo says that the phone will forgo Face ID authentication, instead using a Touch ID side button as a means to save precious internal space. It will also be positioned as a "true AI-driven phone," with the larger screens allowing for a better multi-tasking AI experience.

With premium pricing above $2,000 and perhaps even above $2,500, Kuo believes the foldable iPhone will tap into Apple's loyal fanbase, some of whom will view it as a "must-have device" if its quality meets expectations.

Kuo says Apple is aiming to finalize the specs of its first foldable iPhone during the second quarter of this year and officially kick off the project in the third quarter. Mass production is reportedly planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, so we could perhaps see a launch late next year or in early 2027. A second-generation model is said to be in the pipeline for a year later.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's First Foldable iPhone to Feature Book-Style Design, Sell for Over $2,000
The lack of Face-ID is a show stopper for me, unless the side ID button can be shown to be just as effective (or better) than Face-ID. The extra price could be mitigated if a foldable iPhone works well enough to replace my iPad too.
 
Apple is introducing a foldable iPhone in 2027, relying on a tired concept that has been widely available in the market since 2019. Now that’s innovative!
Coming late does not imply there are no innovations…
 
No use for me. It’s not as good as regular tablet and not as good as regular iPhone. It’s an expensive compromise between the two.
 
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Honestly, if Jobs hadn't died, we'd have seen all the same things most likely. We probably would have had touch screen macs 10 years ago that still do not exist. If Jobs said Apple would never do something or wasn't looking to, you knew in 2 years it would arrive. He just never wanted anyone knowing what they were working on.
Precisely, it was his pattern. Judging from your nickname, we are the same age and both  addicts, so we know a few things… 😉
 
I love my MB Air, but rarely use it, as my iPad Pro does nearly everything from banking to writing to viewing fotos and videos. And I can lug the iPad around, if I have to do so.

I need a phone for portability. A flip style that I can put in any pocket — like the iPhone5/Gen 1 SE/12/13/mini.

Bookstyle, foldable ipad device…nope, too big for the pocket. Will wait longer for the flip style device, I guess. Cooke never listens to me, despite the bribes I pay.
 
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What problem Apple is trying to solve here? Just want to enter the foldable phone market for namesake.
Like any foldable so far, they are a solution in search for a problem….
I love my MB Air, but rarely use it, as my iPad Pro does nearly everything from banking to writing to viewing fotos and videos. And I can lug the iPad around, if I have to do so.

I need a phone for portability. A flip style that I can put in any pocket — like the iPhone5/Gen 1 SE/12/13/mini.

Bookstyle, foldable ipad device…nope, too big for the pocket. Will wait longer for the flip style device, I guess. Cooke never listens to me, despite the bribes I pay.
Also a flip style won’t be really pocket friendly, because the thickness is way more than any modern smartphone.
 
Like any foldable so far, they are a solution in search for a problem….

The problem they solve should be easy for anyone to see, I can’t fit my iPad Mini in my pocket. The same way the first iPhone was made so you didn’t have to bring multiple devices with you to achieve certain tasks a foldable phone can do the same.

I’d love to be able to read my ebooks on the go or during a break at the office without having to bring a bag for my iPad Mini.
 
Alas, I fear that this will be another Apple Vision. I see no benefit in a folding screen to get an extra inch screen for my movies. I wish they would put their efforts into making a smaller iPhone (Smaller than mini if possible - so I can wear it with a nice suit and not feel like I am packing a piece). If it worked with Vision I would have best of both worlds.

What is next I wonder? A foldable watch?
 
The problem they solve should be easy for anyone to see, I can’t fit my iPad Mini in my pocket. The same way the first iPhone was made so you didn’t have to bring multiple devices with you to achieve certain tasks a foldable phone can do the same.

I’d love to be able to read my ebooks on the go or during a break at the office without having to bring a bag for my iPad Mini.
Samsung Flip mobiles are really solving the problem of having smaller foot prints in your pocket. Though it must have retained the same performance, spec, especially the camera ones. Otherwise, they are not as bad as they think it is. But Samsung Fold is bit expensive though it lacks the camera performance of S25 Ultra.
 
My two cents:
1. I own iPhone 15 pro Max, iPad Mini 6 and a Samsung fold 6 as my backup/gaming unit. I am a display "snob", iPad mini display just not as "crisp" as the fold 6, maybe due to 60Hz vs 120Hz refresh rate, so I found myself turns to fold 6 more than mini when out and about. There is a selling point on foldable iPhone, it is a niche; but not like somebody joked "why not combine cellular with MacBook".
2. With age, there comes with need of reading glasses, a bigger real estate on daily drive phone, of course, it also comes with more spending power for that $2000+ price tag.
 
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You couldn’t be more wrong.
Forgot about me or what I think: What benefit would it be for Apple to add the overhead of blocking returns in the matter being proposed?

What Apple has to gain blocking returns for this device different than all their other mobile devices?

What’s there to gain dealing with the forced exceptions of such a policy in many countries?
 
The problem they solve should be easy for anyone to see, I can’t fit my iPad Mini in my pocket. The same way the first iPhone was made so you didn’t have to bring multiple devices with you to achieve certain tasks a foldable phone can do the same.

I’d love to be able to read my ebooks on the go or during a break at the office without having to bring a bag for my iPad Mini.
Except a foldable phone is not a great phone nor a great tablet, so you are not really solving any problem but you are settling down for a mediocre solution for both tasks, at a very expensive price.
Yes the ebook case is one of the few tasks a foldable phone (like a Fold NOT a flip) can do better than a traditional one, if you are not considering the crease which is disturbing me so much. Not much for the asking price and the drawbacks (durability, crease, etc.).
 
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Samsung Flip mobiles are really solving the problem of having smaller foot prints in your pocket. Though it must have retained the same performance, spec, especially the camera ones. Otherwise, they are not as bad as they think it is. But Samsung Fold is bit expensive though it lacks the camera performance of S25 Ultra.
Actually NOT. Samsung Flip compared to an iPhone 16 Pro, for instance, is bigger in TWO dimensions out of three. Smaller footprint ? It is 14.9 mm thick, almost double iPhone thickness, so it is definitely noticeable in your pocket.

While I could find some use on Fold devices (like the ebook case above) definitely a Flip device is just a gimmick in my vision: something that fold for the sake of folding.
 
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Except a foldable phone is not a great phone nor a great tablet, so you are not really solving any problem but you are settling down for a mediocre solution for both tasks, at a very expensive price.
Yes the ebook case is one of the few tasks a foldable phone (like a Fold NOT a flip) can do better than a traditional one, if you are not considering the crease which is disturbing me so much. Not much for the asking price and the drawbacks (durability, crease, etc.).

There are foldables that are as good a phone as the iPhones since when closed they are more or less the same size and a better small tablet than the iPad Mini that Apple currently sells. So that is plenty good for me since that is what I am currently using and what a foldable has replaced previously and will again.

It’s not just ebooks that’s better than on a normal phone, it is anything productive like Excel, Word, Remote desktop or even just browsing the web. Even watching videos is better when you have a larger screen even if the aspect ratio is a bit off on some of them. Basically a foldable makes anything I am using my iPad Mini for at home available to me on the go.

The creases disturb me about as much as the dynamic island on my iPhone, which is not at all in normal usage.
 
The problem they solve should be easy for anyone to see, I can’t fit my iPad Mini in my pocket. The same way the first iPhone was made so you didn’t have to bring multiple devices with you to achieve certain tasks a foldable phone can do the same.

I’d love to be able to read my ebooks on the go or during a break at the office without having to bring a bag for my iPad Mini.
Exactly

This solves the need for an iPhone and an iPad mini. A bigger screen will always be better. Wether people are willing to pay more is up to them
 
Except a foldable phone is not a great phone nor a great tablet, so you are not really solving any problem but you are settling down for a mediocre solution for both tasks, at a very expensive price.
Yes the ebook case is one of the few tasks a foldable phone (like a Fold NOT a flip) can do better than a traditional one, if you are not considering the crease which is disturbing me so much. Not much for the asking price and the drawbacks (durability, crease, etc.).
That’s simply false

The phone experience is no different to a normal slab phone. It will do the exactly same thing as any normal phone.

As a tablet it will run just like any small tablet will run.

Creases these days are very minimal and can hardly be seen in day to day usage. Apple is said to have basically crease free

A notch or Dynamic Island is far more distracting
 
Whatever the price is, it will be way too expensive. The same as with other devices - and even the pro max iPhones. The cheapest pro max is already over $1600 here and honestly that’s way too much for what you get for it.

I’ll keep my 14 pro max for a few more years and when it won’t work anymore I’ll find something else. I’m not paying >1500e for a toy with a battery that struggles to last a work day.
 
Forgot about me or what I think: What benefit would it be for Apple to add the overhead of blocking returns in the matter being proposed?

What Apple has to gain blocking returns for this device different than all their other mobile devices?

What’s there to gain dealing with the forced exceptions of such a policy in many countries?
They should’ve blocked returns for the Vision Pro, but they didn’t.
 
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