Move Over Galaxy Z Flip And Pixel Fold, Apple Is Apparently Readying A Foldable iPhone
According to a report from The Information, someone "with direct knowledge of the situation" said that Apple is in the early stages of testing a foldable phone, saying it's something more akin to a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The leaker added that at best, the device won't see the light of day until after 2025, but noted that it could be cancelled altogether.
While foldable smartphones merely constituted 1.3 percent of the 1.2 billion phones sold last year, the fact is, manufacturers have realized that the candy bar phone design has somewhat stagnated. Customers aren't forking over for their priciest flagship phones as before, so brands have been looking for new ways to bring some excitement back into the phone ownership process.
We're sure Apple wants in on the foldable pie at some point, especially with Samsung leading that charge with its Flip and Fold series, holding around 73 percent of the market share. Knowing Apple as well as the inherent drawbacks of clamshell foldables, the company probably doesn't want to rush a new product unless it's totally class-leading.
At present, phones like the Samsung Z Flip series and Moto Razr+ enjoy the compact form factor at the expense of bulk when folded. They're also fragile with high repair costs, have visible crease across the screen, increased production costs, and inferior battery life (compared to their candy bar cousins).
One thing's for sure though, if and when Apple does decide to enter the foldable phone arena, it'll be on its own terms (see: Vision Pro), and people will continue to buy them up like candy.
