When will the world have a folding iPhone?

Foldable Android smartphones flood the market

We are seeing a surge in foldable smartphones. There is the Motorola Razr Plus, Google Pixel Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. OnePlus is also expected to launch a foldable device later this year.

All of which makes Apple the only major US phone maker without a foldable smartphone.

And it's also worth noting that outside the US, manufacturers Huawei and Xiaomi have also produced foldable Android models.

Where is Apple's foldable iPhone?

The first thing to remember is that Apple certainly doesn't announce anything about new products until they're ready.

That means the company won't tell us whether it's working on a foldable iPhone or not.

Illustration.

We’ll need to break down what Apple needs to do to create the first foldable iPhone, based on everything we know about the company’s design, manufacturing, and marketing processes.

In terms of design, Apple often positions its products as the best solution to a certain problem.

The Galaxy Z Fold doesn't seem like such a product, it's more like a "look at this technological wizardry and see what we can do with it" statement.

The exciting elements of foldable smartphones are taking away from the features we've always expected from phones, including battery life, ergonomics, software experience, and price.

The Galaxy Z Flip solves the portability problem, but it also has some of the same drawbacks as the Fold, especially when it comes to battery life and camera quality.

If Apple were to develop a foldable iPhone, what problem would it solve? Could it be an iPhone Flip that gives you a big screen on a budget? Would it be an iPhone Fold that’s like an iPad Mini that folds in half?

Or will we see a design that doesn't exist yet like the iPhone Roll with a screen that opens like curtains?

Now we need to get back to the rumors. In January 2021, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reported that Apple “has begun developing a foldable iPhone, a potential rival to similar devices from Samsung.”

In May 2022, renowned leaker Ming-Chi Kuo said that "Apple may launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch QHD Plus flexible OLED display in 2023."

As of April 1 of this year, Mr. Kuo revised this prediction to 2025.

The leaks from Gurman and Kuo are usually accurate, so it's likely we'll see a foldable iPhone in 2025.

It will be the size of an iPad Mini and can fold in half. Is that the end of the story? No, it's just beginning.

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Before Apple creates a foldable iPhone, it has to figure out how to manufacture it. It also has to make sure that it can be produced at the same or higher quality than existing models and in sufficient quantities. Then there’s the physical complexity.

Foldable smartphones have a lot of mechanical parts that can fail or wear out, like hinges. And if you’ve ever owned a MacBook, you’ll understand why Apple is leading the way when it comes to hinge design and reliability.

Then there's the software. Apple will face similar challenges to Samsung, especially when it comes to adapting iOS and iPadOS for the foldable iPhone.

The two operating systems have grown apart as Apple has created many iPad-specific features, and a Galaxy Z Fold 4-style folding iPhone would require their reunion.

Or Apple will have to develop a new operating system and unique features (like in iMessage) to make their foldable phone stand out from what the competition is doing.

MacBook hinge.

How much will we have to pay for a folding iPhone?

Foldable smartphones aren’t cheap, and it’s no surprise that the foldable iPhone costs more than them and even the Pro Max models.

But if an iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely cost $1,299, how much will the foldable iPhone cost?

For the foldable iPhone to succeed, Apple needs to come up with a design that solves the problem, scale up production without sacrificing quality, and develop hardware and software that take full advantage of the foldable design. The price also needs to be high, but not too high.

So where is the foldable iPhone? It looks like Apple is already preparing the "forge" to make it.

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Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/bao-gio-the-gioi-co-chiec-iphone-gap-192230901222423459.htm