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Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Can’t wait for another 500 non-articles about this over the next few years!

“Apple is aiming for…” They won’t reach it.
“It opens like a book!” Newsflash: nearly every foldable opens along a single axis, making every foldable open “like a book”. Exceptions for the two or three tri-folding phones. I guess they are just old books with the binders no longer adhering.

Hilariously, touch ID is the only thing I like about this phone. Hopefully it brings a resurgence (or at least more touch ID ipads).

Apple, if you make it creaseless, will I be able to add my own crease with my fingernail, like every other foldable so far?
 
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q64ceo said:
I really like TouchID, so it coming back would be a plus in my book. I do miss the physical touch button as well.
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I miss the Home button as well, but Touch ID on the side button, like on the non-Pro iPads, is more awkward to use and less reliable.
 
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iZac said:
Yeah I was debating with myself if it should be squared or rounded on the hinge side.

I think I just got overexcited with the curve tool. ;)
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Your renders look amazing. Samsung squares all corners. Google fillets all of them. I’d split the difference and square the hinge side and fillet the outside edge.
 
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Ry L said:
That last picture is the money shot. Yes it’s a new and weird aspect ratio, but it’s still mini sized so I’d really love this.
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If you do the math, the surface area is actually almost the same (even a bit more) than a regular iPhone, plus it’ll be thicker and heavier. And the width means you can’t use it one-handed. For me, this loses pretty much all qualities of the mini.
 
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klasma said:
If you do the math, the surface area is actually almost the same (even a bit more) than a regular iPhone, plus it’ll be thicker and heavier. And the width means you can’t use it one-handed. For me, this loses pretty much all qualities of the mini.
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Perfect. I haven’t found the mini usable in probably 5 years. Personally I agree with iZac on the ratio. It’s perfect. Only change I’d make is make it as tall as the pro max. Then open it up to giant 16x9ish iPad.
 
"…so far we're hearing good things."
If you mean by that, "If we're really really nice, maybe Apple will send us a few demos…"
Like many, I won't be buying one or any phone that costs $1,000, $2,000 or more. But choice is one of the foundations of a capitalist economy, especially one where Consumers drive approximately 68-70% of the U.S. economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thanks for that stat, ChatGPT. If you're willing to pay the price you should be able to get whatever product or service you want, if it's available legally, and doesn't have the capability to deprive other consumers of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For that, you should have to demonstrate a compelling need.

That said, I worked for Apple, consider it to be the greatest company in the world, and will upgrade when OS updates are no longer supported on my venerable 2020 SE. I'm not thrilled at having to shell out $600 for the 16E, though, when the 16 is only $200 more and is far more capable. One thing I'll never do: abandon the Apple Universe!
 
JohnC1959 said:
Though we know from past comments on this very website that there are those that have been wanting this. Personally I don't see a need but I certainly am not opposed to there be the option. It won't be a big seller but it will likely lead to better (and maybe more varied) foldable in the future that may appeal to a larger market.
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Ive actually used a foldable phone. They are not "the way". Fold after fold after fold after fold. Moving parts are BAD, especially ones on a device that we carry everywhere. Apple will have to charge more like $3,500-$4,000. A lot of that money is part of the excellent customer service Apple has. Try calling Microsoft or IBM for support, and compare the difference yourself, assuming you can actually get a human from either of those companies. I dont see the "need" or "want" for this either. In fact, ive never heard anyone ever say, "I wish my iPhone would fold". Use an iPad pro which has the best screen on earth. And if it's only going to be as large as the iPad mini, then whats the point. it's so easy to carry an iPad mini with you or an iPad 11" Air, etc. This is not the way forward for an Apple. They need to be more creative and proactive rather than reactive.
 
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Johnpaulpope said:
Ive actually used a foldable phone. They are not "the way". Fold after fold after fold after fold. Moving parts are BAD, especially ones on a device that we carry everywhere. Apple will have to charge more like $3,500-$4,000. A lot of that money is part of the excellent customer service Apple has. Try calling Microsoft or IBM for support, and compare the difference yourself, assuming you can actually get a human from either of those companies. I dont see the "need" or "want" for this either. In fact, ive never heard anyone ever say, "I wish my iPhone would fold". Use an iPad pro which has the best screen on earth. And if it's only going to be as large as the iPad mini, then whats the point. it's so easy to carry an iPad mini with you or an iPad 11" Air, etc. This is not the way forward for an Apple. They need to be more creative and proactive rather than reactive.
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I don't necessarily doubt you. It will be interesting to see what happens. I don't see a downside for me if they offer this option so I'll use my 16 pro (then maybe a 19 pro or so someday) and eat some popcorn and watch what unfolds.
 
victorvictoria said:
That said, I worked for Apple, consider it to be the greatest company in the world
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You’ve got to be kidding. Perhaps lesser crap company of the big computing giants? But of all the companies in the world you would choose a giant technology corporation as the best?

There’s 0 reason to think or any companies in such light, but if that’s the type of thing that interests you then there are far more respectable companies out there (for as respectable as capitalist projects can be).
 
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So the same as other foldable but better in every single way. Except maybe refresh rate, that most users don’t actually give a hoot about.
 
Johnpaulpope said:
Ive actually used a foldable phone. They are not "the way". Fold after fold after fold after fold. Moving parts are BAD, especially ones on a device that we carry everywhere. Apple will have to charge more like $3,500-$4,000. A lot of that money is part of the excellent customer service Apple has. Try calling Microsoft or IBM for support, and compare the difference yourself, assuming you can actually get a human from either of those companies. I dont see the "need" or "want" for this either. In fact, ive never heard anyone ever say, "I wish my iPhone would fold". Use an iPad pro which has the best screen on earth. And if it's only going to be as large as the iPad mini, then whats the point. it's so easy to carry an iPad mini with you or an iPad 11" Air, etc. This is not the way forward for an Apple. They need to be more creative and proactive rather than reactive.
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There’s a lot wrong with your take. Disc players lasted a decade with moving parts just fine. It will not be $4000. It will be $2000-3000 base. But who cares, my 15 pro max 1tb was $1800. For the record, I wish my iPhone would fold. Now you’ve heard it. I have a current gen iPad Pro and it’s the most useless device I own. You can’t carry any iPad in your pocket all day with you. That’s why nobody does and why a need for a foldable iPhone exists.
 
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ozreth said:
You’ve got to be kidding. Perhaps lesser crap company of the big computing giants? But of all the companies in the world you would choose a giant technology corporation as the best?

There’s 0 reason to think or any companies in such light, but if that’s the type of thing that interests you then there are far more respectable companies out there (for as respectable as capitalist projects can be).
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I speak only for myself, based on my experience in 3 different positions over the 11 years I worked there. You don't have to agree with me; there are about 3 trillion other reasons.
 
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Abobrek said:
FaceID will NOT happen. Apple wants (and is rumored) to make the device thin. So, to have a FaceID for when it is closed and another for when it is open, just won’t fit. TouchID would make more sense, only one button for both open and closed orientations.
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This phone might cost $2k so Apple could easily put two sets of sensors in if they wanted to (thickness could be a challenge though). However, one touchID button would save money and Apple loves improving margins.

That said, the original Huawei Mate X showed how you could solve the multiple camera problem all the way back in 2019. You can just stuff the camera into a side bar that the other half doesn't fold over. They used it for the rear camera and an outward facing fold, but it works just as well for a front camera and inward facing fold. You could do the same using a non-covered section at the top instead if that was desirable.

It's an easy problem to solve if it was a problem Apple wanted to solve, but their designs are very conservative, so I don't really expect them to try. Of course this problem can also be solved with a dual folding phone like the Mate XT, which has the same selfie camera always facing the user.
 
6 things that the foldable iPhone will share with all other existing foldables. And tomorrow we add six more things that others already have! The best one is the first one! Each manufacturer would love to have a creaseless foldable and the iPhone will be just as creaseless as others can be a the time it is released, depending on the improvements Samsung will have achieved by then.
 
macabrumorsab said:
6 things that the foldable iPhone will share with all other existing foldables. And tomorrow we add six more things that others already have! The best one is the first one! Each manufacturer would love to have a creaseless foldable and the iPhone will be just as creaseless as others can be a the time it is released, depending on the improvements Samsung will have achieved by then.
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Yes, the others will also have the same display tech soon enough. The difference between Apple's and the others will mainly be that it is an Apple iPhone. Some prefer Android, some prefer iPhone and some prefer foldable phones. So with this phone those that prefer Apple and foldables won't face a dilemma of what to buy.
 
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I’m only interested in this foldable because there are still a bunch of software problems with using two devices that have yet to be solved. I use an iPhone when I’m out and an iPad Mini as my phone when I’m home—and while Continuity and cloud take care of many sync problems, it doesn’t take care of all of them (I’ll spare everyone my list of problems). But rather than fixing all my sync qualms, if Apple could just add the Remote iPhone app to iPad, then I would be very satisfied. But I don’t know how likely that is, so I’m interested in this foldable instead. The foldable is a significantly worse option for me though since I almost never need my iPad Mini outside of home, so I’d be carrying around extra bulk for no reason almost all of that time. But as a small phone lover in a large phone world, I’m used to compromise 😏.

Although at home, the folding would let me easily pocket the “iPad Mini” and carry it around the house, so that’s good. I do often wish my iPad Mini was slightly narrower so that I could pocket it easier. Folding is a little overkill but I would take it.

Oh but also to replace my phone, this foldable needs an as good or better camera.
 
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