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Kuo: iPhone Fold Production Challenges Could Limit Supply Next Year

Hkfan45 said:
Makes zero sense unless Apple does something drastic with their OS. We need a far more powerful version of IOS/ipadOS to make use of this form factor. Something much closer to actual OS X. Without that, I see no reason for paying for the complexity and size of a foldable phone.
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People will pay for it if it has most of the features of a pro phone mixed with the larger screen functionality of an iPad mini. They don't need to revamp iOS / iPadOS they just need to create a powerful custom, hybrid version of it for this device...
 
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Hkfan45 said:
Makes zero sense unless Apple does something drastic with their OS. We need a far more powerful version of IOS/ipadOS to make use of this form factor. Something much closer to actual OS X. Without that, I see no reason for paying for the complexity and size of a foldable phone.
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To make real use of macOS on something like this, you’ll need to lug around a keyboard and mouse, and something to prop the thing up. At that point, why not just carry around an iPad? Or a MacBook?
 
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terminator-jq said:
For people wondering what an iPhone fold will actually look like, the leaked resolution specs give us a device that’s actually a lot different than other foldable phones and nothing at all like the rendering that Macrumors is using.

When closed we will have something around the size of a U.S. passport. It will be one of the most one hand friendly iPhones in years. When opened, it will be just shy of an iPad mini (though with a higher resolution than the mini). The more iPad like aspect ratio when opened will mean this foldable will actually be a lot more usable as a tablet compared to other foldable phones that have a more square aspect ratio when unfolded.

Now of course an iPad mini may not be as useful for productivity as the other iPads (as far as an iPad can be used for productivity in the first place lol) but there’s definitely a lot of task that would be much more efficient/enjoyable on an iPad mini display compared to an iPhone pro max.

Price and durability will be the main factors Apple has to get right.
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As a fan of both the iPhone mini and the iPad mini, I like everything about this. I don't know if I would spend the assured premium to get it though.
 
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Digital Dude said:
Initially, I was quite excited to see this, but that excitement has already waned. As usual, the latest iOS update has left me with a bad taste in my mouth. The hardware is great, but the software is 💩
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This is why I am going to give the Apple foldable a try, but I doubt I will keep it because I prefer Android anymore. Only time will tell though. Apple is still one of my all-time favorite companies, so I'd like to get back into the Apple ecosystem at some point.
 
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prospervic said:
LOVE cargo pants. They’re the only sensible way to carry Max-sized iPhones.
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Until now!
1766079075108.png
 
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WarmWinterHat said:
I have no interest in one, but people are absolutely interested and will be buying. With it's ridiculous price, demand will be muted, but it won't flop.

I posted here a few days ago about about a coworker that moved to a Samsung foldable, because Apple was taking too long, and it's his first time using Android. Ditched his Apple Watch, too.
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Yeah, right.
It "Won't Flop" like the iPhone Air and Apple Virtual Reality Headset Thingy (What was that called again?) "Didn't Flop".

The word is "Co-Worker", as in "Wage Slave" working off a phone at a "company" with a nightmare IT strategy.

I'd ditch my Apple Watch, too, if I hadn't decided to use an actually useful device like my Garmin with my Apple phone.

The "extra screen space" will be useful for people with Booboisie Conspicuous Consumption Disease or fools trying to run a business off an Amateur-Grade IT department ..., thinking they're gonna be the 'Next Steve Jobs" ...
 
rubaxter said:
Yeah, right.
It "Won't Flop" like the iPhone Air and Apple Virtual Reality Headset Thingy (What was that called again?) "Didn't Flop".

The word is "Co-Worker", as in "Wage Slave" working off a phone at a "company" with a nightmare IT strategy.

I'd ditch my Apple Watch, too, if I hadn't decided to use an actually useful device like my Garmin with my Apple phone.

The "extra screen space" will be useful for people with Booboisie Conspicuous Consumption Disease or fools trying to run a business off an Amateur-Grade IT department ..., thinking they're gonna be the 'Next Steve Jobs" ...
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My coworker, that i'm referred to, has a work-provided phone, same as me (16e). The flip is his personal phone. We aren't allowed to use personal phones for work purposes (hospital, therefor HIPAA). He's an OR pharmacist, and not a terribly techy guy, so no "Steve Jobs" aspirations.

As for the last bit, do what you want, but no need to be judging people for such choices. You seem awfully upset, and I'm not sure why? Their choices don't affect you.
 
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Time will tell. If we don’t hear about production starting by April …..Forgetabout it f o r ‘26
Hopefully Apple resolves the issues 🙏
 
Apple is becoming more boring year after year. I think I have lost interest in any new devices from them, their current and future products are so depressive that I really don’t think I will ever want to buy them again, unless they come back to small phones/mini format
 
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Regardless of price, it will sell out in seconds. Resellers are already rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Apple will do the typical PR spin about how caught off guard they were about the huge demand.
 
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transpo1 said:
People will pay for it if it has most of the features of a pro phone mixed with the larger screen functionality of an iPad mini. They don't need to revamp iOS / iPadOS they just need to create a powerful custom, hybrid version of it for this device...
Click to expand...
Yet apple still can’t give us this hybrid version on an iPad Pro. It’s still gimped and practically useless. Without a true “pro” version of an OS, this will fail spectacularly.
 
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rappr said:
To make real use of macOS on something like this, you’ll need to lug around a keyboard and mouse, and something to prop the thing up. At that point, why not just carry around an iPad? Or a MacBook?
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Zero reason for a physical keyboard. The Samsung fold has features that even an iPad Pro could only dream of and it lacks a physical keyboard.
 
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I haven’t been so excited for an Apple product for a very long time … 2026 is a year of anticipation thanks to Fold and touchscreen MacBook Pro … It will be the best selling folding screen phone …
 
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H.E. Pennypacker said:
I honestly don’t get why so many Apple enthusiasts here are actively rooting for an entirely new product category to fail. If foldables aren’t for you, cool, don’t buy one. But cheering against progress and innovation just because it’s different feels weird coming from a community that usually celebrates Apple pushing forward. Rooting for Apple to play it safe and ship the same slab forever just so you can say “told you so” isn’t exactly how great products get made.
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This.

It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?

Instead of just moving on if a device isn’t for them, they have to hope it fails.
 
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FattiesGoneWild said:
Regardless of price, it will sell out in seconds. Resellers are already rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Apple will do the typical PR spin about how caught off guard they were about the huge demand.
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One thing Apple absolutely gets right is preorders. You click buy, get a back-order date, and you’re done. No chaos, no lotteries, no slamming refresh like it’s 2012.

Compare that to the gaming industry, where buying a new console feels like competing against bots, scalpers, and broken checkout pages. It’s in your cart, the site crashes, and suddenly you “missed the drop.” Why can’t they just take preorders, assign fulfillment windows, and ship when ready?
 
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Zorn said:
Once I get this I'm selling my iPad. I hate having multiple devices to keep charged and track of.
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Exactly. I want to replace my iPad and iPhone with one device.

My concern is that this device is shaping up to be a less useful phone and possibly a bit too small for an iPad.

In my mind, it needs to be able to run something like iPadOS when unfolded and also iOS when folded.

If things don’t shape up well, then I might have to consider Android.
 
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Hkfan45 said:
Yet apple still can’t give us this hybrid version on an iPad Pro. It’s still gimped and practically useless. Without a true “pro” version of an OS, this will fail spectacularly.
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No, they won’t give us a full hybrid version on the iPad Pro— there’s a big difference. 😉 But they might give us iPad functionality on an iPhone if it costs as much as two devices.
 
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