There is a big interest in an iPhone Fold, well ahead of any launch
Apple's often-rumored foldable iPhone will find a considerable audience when it launches, with a new survey finding that 39% of people looking at foldable smartphones want to get an Apple-produced one.
An example of what a foldable iPhone could look like.
The "iPhone Fold" is believed to be Apple's take on the folding smartphone, which could arrive by 2025. When it does eventually go on sale, it seems that there's already a potential audience waiting to buy it.
In a U.S. survey conducted for Counterpoint, approximately 28% of current smartphone users are highly likely to buy a foldable version as their next purchase.
Of those who responded to the survey, 39% said they would go for an Apple-branded device for their foldable smartphone. Samsung, which already sells folding smartphones, is the top choice with a 46% share, while third place is occupied by Motorola with 6%.
There may also be a fair amount of brand loyalty as well when it comes to foldables. The survey said 92% of Samsung users planned to stick with Samsung for a foldable purchase.
The iPhone Fold may also end up being bought by more affluent users, as well. Approximately 41% of respondents with a monthly income of $10,000 or more said they were most likely to buy a foldable smartphone for their next acquisition.
As for the design of the smartphone itself, 49% preferred a "flip-type" foldable with a fold on the short axis of the phone. A "book-type" device with a fold on the long axis is second with 35%. The remainder had no preference.
More than half of male respondents prefer the flip-type with 47% of women also doing so. On the book-type side, 40% of female respondents wanted that kind of device, along with 30% of men.
"Foldables have performed better in controlling the shift from Android to iOS," according to Associate Director of North America research Hanish Bhatia. "However, we don't expect foldables to become the dominant form factor anytime soon in the US. Foldables will continue to co-exist with the candy bar design for years to come."
Aside from a 2025 release date, current rumors for the iPhone Fold say it will have a flexible OLED display, supported by a complex hinge, and it would use USB-C and MagSafe for charging.
Read on AppleInsider
An example of what a foldable iPhone could look like.
The "iPhone Fold" is believed to be Apple's take on the folding smartphone, which could arrive by 2025. When it does eventually go on sale, it seems that there's already a potential audience waiting to buy it.
In a U.S. survey conducted for Counterpoint, approximately 28% of current smartphone users are highly likely to buy a foldable version as their next purchase.
Of those who responded to the survey, 39% said they would go for an Apple-branded device for their foldable smartphone. Samsung, which already sells folding smartphones, is the top choice with a 46% share, while third place is occupied by Motorola with 6%.
There may also be a fair amount of brand loyalty as well when it comes to foldables. The survey said 92% of Samsung users planned to stick with Samsung for a foldable purchase.
The iPhone Fold may also end up being bought by more affluent users, as well. Approximately 41% of respondents with a monthly income of $10,000 or more said they were most likely to buy a foldable smartphone for their next acquisition.
As for the design of the smartphone itself, 49% preferred a "flip-type" foldable with a fold on the short axis of the phone. A "book-type" device with a fold on the long axis is second with 35%. The remainder had no preference.
More than half of male respondents prefer the flip-type with 47% of women also doing so. On the book-type side, 40% of female respondents wanted that kind of device, along with 30% of men.
"Foldables have performed better in controlling the shift from Android to iOS," according to Associate Director of North America research Hanish Bhatia. "However, we don't expect foldables to become the dominant form factor anytime soon in the US. Foldables will continue to co-exist with the candy bar design for years to come."
Aside from a 2025 release date, current rumors for the iPhone Fold say it will have a flexible OLED display, supported by a complex hinge, and it would use USB-C and MagSafe for charging.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Apple's current worldwide marketshare is 24.1%. Dazzling numbers.
Other than the novelty of being able to say "Look! It folds!" there's no practical use case for it, and there are plenty of reasons why it's not a particularly great idea. First, a folding phone needs an additional screen on the back that remains on the outside of the device when folded, so that the user can easily see who's calling, the time, etc., without unfolding it. That requires not only the cost of additional hardware, but additional code in iOS and any application that might make use of that screen. The iPhone's camera lenses already create a less-than-ideal form factor, which makes for an even thicker hunk of glass and metal when the device is also folded, which would be very bulky in the user's pocket. No matter how great the engineering of the folding screen and hinge mechanism, it increases the opportunity for damage and breakage over the existing form factor, without a justifying benefit in trade. The list goes on.
The fact that some number of people answered affirmatively to a survey question about whether they'd like a folding phone is meaningless. Without being presented with the actual design and cost, the question is simply asking people if they want a novelty. Many will say yes in the abstract, but no when they see what it actually is.
To the extent that rumors of Apple patents and work on a foldable screen are conceivably correct, a foldable iPad is a far more likely use for the technology. It wouldn't need an outside screen when folded. Such a device would be opened and closed a mere fraction of the times a folding phone would. A phone comes in and out of your pocket for short interactions possibly hundreds of times a day, and often while you're standing or walking. An iPad, not so much. Its hinge and the folding screen would receive far less wear-and-tear, and an iPad would be dropped far than an iPhone, reducing the likelihood of impact damage to the mechanism.
I think the only way (1) can be accomplished is if the screens are on the outside of the device - a smaller outside screen + big screen inside will not provide enough functionality in folded mode.
That is also the number one use case.
The follow up question is 'do I have to sacrifice regular phone use without the screen unfolded? The answer to that is also clear. No.
Are there any tradeoffs? Yes. Just like with all phones.
The crease. A tradeoff. The notch. A tradeoff. A pill cut out. A tradeoff. Etc.
Even from the outset of folding phones back in 2019, the crease was not considered an issue in daily use. Today, creases are even less of an issue.
Bulk. Even some last generation folding phones were virtually the same thickness (when folded) as an iPhone in a case. Considering what you get in return (double screen space), that is a non-issue and obviously an area that is improving from generation to generation.
Complexity. Yes, of course. The hinges alone require some serious engineering capacity.
Yes, the software is (obviously!) different. After all, a folding phone introduces more use cases so software should take advantage of all that.
Fragility and wear and tear. All phones are fragile and suffer wear and tear. Folding phones somewhat more so but that is factored into the purchase decision. Anyone who currently pampers a slab phone will have no issues with a folding phone. As for wear and tear, well it's been more than three years now. Folding phones have not had major issues with that.
But let's take a step back for a moment. Do you remember when we went from plastic backs to sealed glass backs on slab phones?
Any 'fragility' comparisons end there. Slab phones are probably more fragile in that sense.
A double screen? Yes, but only sometimes and put to good use. It depends on which way your folding phone folds. Inwards or outwards.
Folding phones give you options that slab phones don't. Some of those options result from the extra screen.
Cost. Any cutting edge technology is going to cost more and that also takes into account new material development. Prices are coming down though as knowhow and manufacturing capacity increase. The bleeding edge phones will also have bleeding edge prices. That is true for all flagships, folding or not.
Usage. I used to carry a tablet every day. Precisely for what you mentioned. In the end though I decided to swallow the tradeoff that comes from sacrificing the tablet while I'm on the go. That means I'm using my phone for your cited 'tablet' use. A folding phone largely resolves that problem.
Camera bumps. A necessary evil if thinness is the goal. It doesn't have to be of course but many manufacturers prefer the bump to fleshing out the rest of the phone. Normally sacrificing battery capacity in the process.
The latest folding phones are absolutely stunning examples of design, engineering and manufacturing capacity.
And it's still early days.
Scrollables are a possible option and no doubt AR-HUDS will also come to market but all in due time.
My brother switched his entire family to flip folding phones last year. My other brother got a Fold 4. They haven't had issues and all love the phones.
Take a look at what is currently on offer:
https://consumer.huawei.com/en/phones/mate-x3/
And the Fold 5 is rumoured to arrive very soon.
Is it any wonder that a fair few iPhone users see things like that and want the same?