Apple rumoured to release new form factor to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold
When Apple introduces the iPhone 18 models this September, it may also introduce a completely new form factor for its smartphones; Rumors are intensifying that a foldable iPhone is finally ready to be released.
Samsung has been releasing foldable phones for over six years, and although they got off to a rocky start, they’ve become a growing product category. Could a foldable iPhone usher the format into mainstream adoption? Or will the majority stick to standard models and bring foldable phones into the spotlight?
Rumors and speculation about Apple’s foldable iPhone have been going on for years, so at this point it seems likely that the company is testing more than one design.
in 2024 a report inside Information He quoted people directly involved in the project as saying Apple would release a flip-style phone the size of a regular iPhone but with a horizontal fold in the middle that would fold into a small square, similar to Samsung’s Z Flip. But more recent reports point to something bigger; Many analysts describe a device shaped like a passport that opens into a small tablet.
This shape will differ from most book-style foldable devices on the market, including Samsung’s Z Fold and Google’s Pixel Pro Fold. While these models more or less resemble regular phones when folded into a square-like tablet, Apple’s purported device will be square-like in both modes; 2:3 ratio when folded, around 4:3 ratio when unfolded. The advantage is that both of these screen shapes are used by iPads, so there is no need to adapt applications.
Longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained this format in a note last yearApple also said that Apple has developed a hinge that eliminates the visible gap in the middle of the inner screen and said: Kuo said that even though it is made for a very expensive device, the company prioritizes thinness and stylish design and that the device will include a fingerprint sensor instead of Face ID. These details are backed up in a newsletter Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the phone will cost more than US$2000 ($2840).
As for the size of the device, many rumors point to a 5.5-inch external display size; This means a device measuring approximately 8cm x 12cm when closed, given the 2:3 ratio. It’s a very different shape from the latest Z Fold, which measures 7cm x 16cm. It will also be the shortest iPhone since the iPhone 4 in 2010.
Last year, 3D design files allegedly leaked (but unverifiable) from Apple’s production line surfaced on the internet. They matched the measurements above and the designers used them to create them. digital models And 3D printed mannequinsIt offers a brief look at a phone that resembles a small notepad. The tablet will have a 7.8-inch screen size when unfolded, making the device just a few centimeters smaller on both sides than the iPad Mini.
Analyst Jeff Pu suggested There will be multiple size options for the device, but most rumors have revealed only one size.
Demand for iPhones has remained consistent despite each generation of devices lasting longer than the last and investors’ perceptions of Apple’s lack of AI features. However, most of this demand is for the standard iPhone or Pro model; A relatively small number of users prefer the outlier Mini, Plus or Air models.
In fact, some reports showed that the Air delivered spectacularly below expectations last year, with Apple reducing production to just 10 percent of original estimates. The ultra-thin phone is very expensive, lacks the features the standard iPhone has, including multiple rear cameras, and is an unproven form factor despite Apple’s claims of exceptional durability.
Bloomberg’s Gurman claims that the design of the foldable iPhone will resemble two Air models put together, albeit in different ways. Apple will have to hope there’s enough pent-up demand for a non-Android folding phone to address durability concerns, especially if it claims to have developed a brand new hinge system that eliminates the foldable screen gap.
Of course, Apple has good form when it comes to introducing its own takes on devices that other manufacturers have had for years. iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods were latecomers in their categories, and although they didn’t take off immediately, they eventually became the leading models overall.
If Apple releases a $3,000 foldable iPhone this year, it might not be met with enough immediate demand to outpace the standard iPhone or even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. But it could win over users over time, especially if Apple markets to its base of creators who would otherwise own a phone and an iPad Mini separately.
Gurman reported Apple is so confident in the foldable iPhone that it’s already planning a follow-up that will give users the choice between a notebook-style and smaller Z Flip-style device.
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Tim Biggs is a writer covering consumer technology, gadgets, and video games.Connect with: X or email.
