Why Apple Rejected a Clamshell-Style Foldable iPhone

[slcoss]

That’s because Android users don’t have a sense of style and elegance!
A phone, that you have to ‘open’ to view the information! Yuck!!!

I mean, a foldable phone like the mockup of this article is horrible and I don't think I would ever buy that.

However, a foldable phone like the Galaxy Fold seems cool. You can use your phone as normal without opening it, and you can open it if you want a bigger screen. I can see myself using it closed for everyday messages and maps or quick things, and then open it up for leisure time like Instagram or Youtube with the bigger screen (kinda like a small iPad). It'll for sure cost a fortune so I don't think I would buy it though, but the idea is cool and I believe there is a big market for larger screens.

 

[darngooddesign]

I am not a fan of foldable phones due to mechanical complexity and limited durability - there's a reason why the book-shaped foldable has an external display. the clamshell/flip phone idea is beyond stupid as it lacks of any usable screen when closed...

Clamshell folding phones also have external displays.

Samsung:


Motorola:

 

[savantgk3]

...I mean, yeah, that seems like a pretty big deal?

In other news, the original Macbook Air was an unnecessary design because its biggest selling point was its smaller size. Too bad that product line turned out so badly. It's not like it was Apple's best selling laptop for a decade or anything.

It's *thinner* size. this would be a chunkier square when folded, just to be the same size as a normal phone when open. And it adds an extra step to unlocking the phone to do phone stuff. The 12 and 13 Mini were also Apple's worst selling iPhones, so that context is a little more relevant than the MBA example.

 

[whitby]

I am not going to challenge their thinking (but maybe I am), but to me, the idea of an iPhone which is smaller in the pocket and folds to the current size is infinitely more interesting than a phone that folds out to an inferior iPad. We will argue for ever, but I tried an Samsung Fold 4, 5 and 6 and they did not work at all. Bulky when folded and compromised when open and cost way too much. I would love a phone that folded in half and opened up to the current phone size. But apparently, as always I am in the minority. I see no point in an iPhone costing $2K plus that folds out to a mini iPad and weighs 2 x the amount of a current phone and is like a brick in my hand. Good luck Apple, I hope it works for you, but I do know I have absolutely no interest.

 

[Sami13496]

Everyone understands that a flip phone like this is the gimmick of gimmicks. A flip for the sake of flipping. Samsung, as a brand, is the kind that can develop and experiment with these kinds of toys. Apple, on the other hand, is a serious brand that can’t afford to tarnish its reputation by churning out gimmicky gadgets.

 

[Gotword]

The iphone mini sold poorly vs reg iphones, it did not sell poorly alone, once the price was lowered it sold out everywhere

 

[XboxEvolved]

I think it remains to be seen how well this will do. I get it from a business prospective it’s the only way to expand is by way of new products.

I’m more curious about what techs inside the machine will trickle down. Could the iPhone Air maybe go down in price the second go, have two cameras, and get closer to just basically replacing the normal iPhone? How will this tech maybe translate to a glasses project? Those are the things that interest me.

 

[freezelighter]

Apple had a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and an iPhone 13 mini, but the device was discontinued after two generations because it sold poorly.

It never sold poorly.
We were told so to hide the fact that too many people were looking for a smaller device. People who still remembered what a mobile device stands for and could distinguish between a phone and a tablet. Since the minis were cheaper than the bigger ones, Apple discontinued them and pushed everyone to buy bigger and bigger phones.

For the flip, yes "the biggest selling point would have been its smaller size".

It's sad how Apple's dictatorship in regards of phone size changed the customer mindset.

No Mini? No Flip? No iPhone for me.

 

[freezelighter]

That’s because Android users don’t have a sense of style and elegance! Yuck!!!

Open your eyes and look around, human. Both style and elegance as well as innovation come from other OS phones since a decade.

 

[barfingclouds]

I would have bought this. I always prefer smaller

 

[ScanTheNavian]

I would much rather have a 4S sized iPhone which is 100% usable with only one hand.

 

[Alfonson]

I still have my iPhone SE (original) for these reasons:
1. No notch
2. Mini-jack
3. I can replace battery myself, just 2 screws.
4. Perfect compact size
5. No more disruptive software updates.
Bonus: feels great not to be on the obligatory iPhone upgrade hamster wheel.

Couldn’t care less about any of those points other than 5, which is totally unacceptable for any business use, but good for you that it helps you feeling elevated

 

[9640418]

To each their own, the original iPhone SE maxes out at iOS 15 and most of my apps would not run on that.

 

[ProwlingTiger]

Interesting how they said they don’t want to compromise on the camera system, but didn’t they do that with the Air anyway?

And how they "made no compromises with the Neo." I mean I love the ****ing machine and the new Apple, return to form and all, but come on. I put that statement right up there with "can't innovate anymore, my ass."

 

[DocMultimedia]

Flip over Fold. So I'll be waiting at least a year to buy something with a hinge.

 

[one more]

It's sad how Apple's dictatorship in regards of phone size changed the customer mindset.

You might be looking at it the wrong way - it might be the customer choice (opting for bigger screens in large numbers) that changed Apple's dictatorship mindset in regards of phone size. 😉

Do not forget that at the same time the Android crew (75% of smartphone market worldwide) were really going on “bigger is better” path and content creators worldwide started adapting their content to larger screen sizes, using 6”+ as a new reference point.

 

[one more]

And how they "made no compromises with the Neo." I mean I love the ****ing machine and the new Apple, return to form and all, but come on. I put that statement right up there with "can't innovate anymore, my ass."

The major selling point of Neo is its price and none of the specs. iPhone Air was priced as MacBook Air, while missing out on battery, cameras and speakers. People could be more forgiving, of course, but not at a 1K price point.

 

[svish]

Except for the fact that a Flip styled phone is smaller and easier to carry/keep in pocket, there is no other benefit. I have the Z Flip and feel like there is no other benefit. Having a phone which can double as a tablet is the better option and I would prefer to buy the Z Fold over the Z Flip any day. Looking forward to seeing the foldable from Apple. Maybe in the future, Apple too will have a Flip styled iPhone.

 

[d686546s]

The success of the Pro Max and failure of the iPhone Air kinda cemented the fact people want bigger displays and cameras. They don’t want compromises at $1,000 or up.

Not sure why some people keep bringing up MacBook Air as a “gotcha” moment. Notebooks back then were typically 5-6 lbs and 1-inch thick. There was a clear benefit. Phones aren’t as heavy or thick.

In fairness, the Flip 7 has a 6.9" display with a smaller/pocketable footprint, so i think the analogy to the Air is at least somewhat justified.

I have no data on how many of these Samsung is selling. I'm sure Apple has thought a lot about this in much greater detail than I could, but then again the Mini and the Plus have failed and the Air doesn't seem to be doing great, so it's not like they are infallible.

I think flip phones are the kind of lifestyle product that would sell reasonably well. People loved flip phones not just because of their utility, but because they were cool. I agree that a £/$/€ 1k flip phone is probably a bridge too far when a Pro is in similar territory, but Motorola and others have shown that you can do them for cheaper. A flip phone that is around the same as a regular 17 would probably do quite well and the prices for these have been coming down.

Don't underestimate the lifestyle factor behind some of these decisions.

 

[swm]

Clamshell folding phones also have external displays.

certainly, but here's what apple has to say becomes relevant: space issues. the display has thickness, even if you fuse it together with the touchscreen. it also generates heat - not a lot - but enough to mandate some sort of thermal management: whether that's an air gap or some thermally conductive material -> adds to thickness. not much, but small things tend to accumulate. then you want to have it shock/scratch/break-resistant too.

then there's the UI complexity and the problem of screen real estate: another weirdly shaped screen has to be handled either by the OS or by the installed apps. how much stuff can you fit onto it, how can one interact with it. not impossible, but pretty challenging as the various screen sizes will certainly pose some challenges to app developers, so there might be some apps that won't support the external screens and require you to open the phone anyways.

or the OEM might just decide to restrict the use of the external screen solely to the OS to provide an uniform experience.

then there's the problem of taking and making calls with the device - I know this is probably not the main function of nowadays' smart-"phone" - but still it needs to be dealt with. so what are the options:
- speakerphone when in clamshell mode (works, but has the obvious issues. the AW also works as a speakerphone, but that's more like some emergency function)
- some sort of headset/earpiece (probably the most feasible way, but requires extra items that need to be sold/charged/cared for)
- open the damn thing whenever it rings

texting: sure, you can do the old fashioned yell-at-the-phone speech to text way, or have some quirky letter by letter input or a tiny unusable virtual keyboard too - just like the AW. is it working? kinda yes, but I wouldn't want to type this post on such a thing. again, you need to open the thing up.

and this basically boils down to keeping opening/closing the device whenever it comes to any social interaction with it.

 

[FlyingTexan]

I kinda agree that we don’t want $1,000+ small phones. But we want $600 non-foldable mini iPhones. It might not sell like hot cakes, but it will sell as good (or as bad) as an iPad Mini.

It’s about ability. Give me the mini with the same cameras and screen as the pro and I’d pay extra

 

[solarmon]

The iPhone 5/SE/12mini/13mini remains the best size, for me.

The Air surprised me how well it fit in my hand, which made me realize the critical factor for fitting in your hand is the addition of the width plus 2x the thickness. Didn’t switch though.

Anyway, if they skip the flip for now, I will try the fold, bc it would fit in my hand well, and would double as a perfect book size when un folded.

 

[Tim Jobs the 2nd]

Too bad, it's the way I personally prefer. Wish they had both options coming like the Fold and Flip from Samsung. Flipping open a phone is oddly satisfying, takes me back to my teenage years.

 

[Tim Jobs the 2nd]

That’s because Android users don’t have a sense of style and elegance!
A phone, that you have to ‘open’ to view the information! Yuck!!!

Then if/when Apple does release a flip phone: “Such an elegant design from the way the flip sound echoes across the valleys to the way the beautiful liquid display unravels. Pure magic that only Apple could do”

 

[Lerxt]

Wow, every single person in the world who unbelievably wants a smaller phone is on this thread.