iPhone Fold will dominate the market despite 2026 arrival

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• Reply 1 of 15

  anilu_777 Posts: 611member

  July 20, 2025 4:23PM

  I’m certainly interested but we will see, I guess, when it’s released. No-one is sure at this point 

  

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• Reply 2 of 15

  premium1 Posts: 2member

  July 20, 2025 5:05PM

  I still feel this form factor is better suited for an ipad type device. I get there is a market for foldables, but just seems like a foldable phone isn't something most people will want (or need). Not to mention the fact that they are still much less durable than normal phones, but I am sure carriers will have large discounts to try and get people on board. 

  

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• Reply 3 of 15

  sroussey2 Posts: 6member

  July 20, 2025 5:30PM

  They should directly to tri-screen foldable and jump ahead of the market.

  

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• Reply 4 of 15

  wood1208 Posts: 2,951member

  July 20, 2025 9:22PM

  More power to those who truly want and no problem spending extra for the Foldable iPhone. For me, a day would be when Apple offers iPhone with complete screen design hiding FaceID, front camera, TouchID invisible under the screen. 

  

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• Reply 5 of 15

  yyzguy Posts: 78member

  July 21, 2025 2:45AM

  Why does anyone pay attention to mark Gurman?   I read his Power On newsletter for about a year, which was long enough to realize he doesn’t know anything more than any other prognosticators.  

  

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• Reply 6 of 15

  yyzguy Posts: 78member

  July 21, 2025 2:54AM

  People were predicting roll up screens at least 10 years ago.   We’ve been promised cold fusion and quantum computing for decades.    Maybe the same people who want cyber trucks will be interested in foldable phones but they’re useless for practical applications.

  

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• Reply 7 of 15

  lordjohnwhorfin Posts: 917member

  July 21, 2025 4:02AM

  yyzguy said:

  People were predicting roll up screens at least 10 years ago.   We’ve been promised cold fusion and quantum computing for decades.    Maybe the same people who want cyber trucks will be interested in foldable phones but they’re useless for practical applications.

  See the Globals in “Earth: Final Conflict” for roll-up screens…
  
  I’ve seen the foldables available and I can’t believe people are paying 2G for these hideous screens with a half-baked square format marred by an ugly crease right in the middle of them. Also, they are way thicker than a regular phone. The only format that makes sense to me is the Z, because it has a tiny form factor (although too thick) and unfolds to a regular size screen (with an ugly crease)
  
  Whatever Apple decides to do, I am absolutely convinced of one thing: if they can’t address the crease issue AND make it thin even when folded, and come up with a form factor that makes sense, they will not release a product. That’s what makes Apple different from Samsung: they won’t release crap.

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• Reply 8 of 15

  charlesn Posts: 1,543member

  July 21, 2025 4:07AM

  "Gurman goes on to say that Apple is also embracing the foldable iPhone design now, because it is extremely popular in China."
  
  Really? Folding phones at the $2,000+ price point are "extremely popular" as in generating high volume sales? I find that hard to believe. For sure, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, etc. have some truly impressive folding phones in that price category and above--Oppo's Find N5 that's under 9mm thick when folded and sports a Hasselblad-developed camera system is a real knockout--but this is not a volume sales price point. 
  

  

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• Reply 9 of 15

  kmarei Posts: 222member

  July 21, 2025 11:28AM

  As a former owner of the Microsoft surface duo, surface duo 2, and now the google pixel fold.
  folding screens are a gimmick.
  i rarely open up my google fold, usually just to show people how it opens.
  sounds great as a concept, but not usable in daily life.
  what you do get is a bulky single screen phone, with amazing battery life, to be fair
  
  unless you are the type of person that likes  watching their media on a tiny screen with crappy audio
  then this was made for you .
  
  i prefer to watch media on a TV, or at least an iPad

  

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• Reply 10 of 15

  applezulu Posts: 2,531member

  July 21, 2025 8:48PM

  A folding iPhone isn't going to happen. There are nonsensical red flags all over the prognostications on this concept. As noted here, the release date is always just around the corner. The original predictions would've had it out three years ago. Now the latest have it out a year or more from now, but with the same folding screen Samsung already has already developed. So this means we're supposed to believe that Apple has taken an extra five years to create a folding phone that is literally no different or better than the competition. 
  
  Apple is famously late to the party with new products, but it's because they've taken time to reimagine the whole idea and produce something that has intrinsic usefulness that's lacking in the existing competition, which is always satisfied with the novel, regardless of actual utility. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods all reimagined existing concepts. These things didn't just replace mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, smart watches and wireless ear buds. They re-defined those categories. In doing so, Apple did better than being first to release something by instead becoming the first that anyone thinks of.
  
  Showing up five years late with an Apple-branded folding Samsung phone that breaks no new ground doesn't do any of that. Why would anyone believe that this is something Apple is actually going to do?

  edited July 21

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• Reply 11 of 15

  charlesn Posts: 1,543member

  July 22, 2025 1:23AM

  AppleZulu said:

  A folding iPhone isn't going to happen. There are nonsensical red flags all over the prognostications on this concept. As noted here, the release date is always just around the corner. The original predictions would've had it out three years ago. Now the latest have it out a year or more from now, but with the same folding screen Samsung already has already developed. So this means we're supposed to believe that Apple has taken an extra five years to create a folding phone that is literally no different or better than the competition. 
  
  Apple is famously late to the party with new products, but it's because they've taken time to reimagine the whole idea and produce something that has intrinsic usefulness that's lacking in the existing competition, which is always satisfied with the novel, regardless of actual utility. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods all reimagined existing concepts. These things didn't just replace mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, smart watches and wireless ear buds. They re-defined those categories. In doing so, Apple did better than being first to release something by instead becoming the first that anyone thinks of.
  
  Showing up five years late with an Apple-branded folding Samsung phone that breaks no new ground doesn't do any of that. Why would anyone believe that this is something Apple is actually going to do?

  All well-stated. But... there is the China piece to this, as Gurman mentioned, and that does make some sense. It's Apple's second largest market and the top handset makers there are releasing some truly killer, cutting edge high-end folding phones. Huawei is already making a tri-fold phone. These phones put the Samsung and Google offerings to shame and I think it creates a perception problem for the Apple brand in terms of iPhone seeming less premium, more 2nd tier, because it's not even competing with the most premium, tech laden Chinese phones. That said, an Apple folding phone with "me, too" hardware about equal to Samsung isn't going to help with that perception. And I honestly don't know if the benefits of "the Apple ecosystem" and its seamless integration of various Apple products means as much in China as it does in the U.S. 

  

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• Reply 12 of 15

  muthuk_vanalingam Posts: 1,444member

  July 22, 2025 3:59AM

  charlesn said:

  AppleZulu said:

  A folding iPhone isn't going to happen. There are nonsensical red flags all over the prognostications on this concept. As noted here, the release date is always just around the corner. The original predictions would've had it out three years ago. Now the latest have it out a year or more from now, but with the same folding screen Samsung already has already developed. So this means we're supposed to believe that Apple has taken an extra five years to create a folding phone that is literally no different or better than the competition. 
  
  Apple is famously late to the party with new products, but it's because they've taken time to reimagine the whole idea and produce something that has intrinsic usefulness that's lacking in the existing competition, which is always satisfied with the novel, regardless of actual utility. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods all reimagined existing concepts. These things didn't just replace mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, smart watches and wireless ear buds. They re-defined those categories. In doing so, Apple did better than being first to release something by instead becoming the first that anyone thinks of.
  
  Showing up five years late with an Apple-branded folding Samsung phone that breaks no new ground doesn't do any of that. Why would anyone believe that this is something Apple is actually going to do?

  All well-stated. But... there is the China piece to this, as Gurman mentioned, and that does make some sense. It's Apple's second largest market and the top handset makers there are releasing some truly killer, cutting edge high-end folding phones. Huawei is already making a tri-fold phone. These phones put the Samsung and Google offerings to shame and I think it creates a perception problem for the Apple brand in terms of iPhone seeming less premium, more 2nd tier, because it's not even competing with the most premium, tech laden Chinese phones. That said, an Apple folding phone with "me, too" hardware about equal to Samsung isn't going to help with that perception. And I honestly don't know if the benefits of "the Apple ecosystem" and its seamless integration of various Apple products means as much in China as it does in the U.S. 

  Well said. Absolutely spot on with your observations on foldable phones from Chinese OEMs. And people in US do not get a chance to see them. People in US get to see only half baked attempts from Samsung and evaluate the idea based on that. Apple will do much better than that.
  
  Slightly off-topic - You are well informed about what is happening in Android world on the foldables. Which is why I find it strange that you are not aware of batttery technology improvements that are already available in Android phones for last 2-3 years. The rumors about iPhone Air having lower battery life than current small sized iPhones are complete non-sense. Apple would adopt the Silicon Carbon batteries in the upcoming iPhones and iPhone Air would definitely have a pretty good battery life, even with a thin profile. Samsung and Google are still stuck with older batteries which is why their phones have average/terrible battery life. That is not the case with Android phones from Chinese OEMs for the last 2-3 years. And Apple will adopt those batteries in this year, making 2-day battery life normal for iPhones going forward.

  

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• Reply 13 of 15

  charlesn Posts: 1,543member

  July 22, 2025 11:58AM

  sroussey2 said:

  They should directly to tri-screen foldable and jump ahead of the market.

  Apple's already late to the party on tri-folds: 
  
  https://consumer.huawei.com/my/phones/mate-xt-ultimate-design/
  
  

  muthuk_vanalingam said:

  Apple would adopt the Silicon Carbon batteries in the upcoming iPhones and iPhone Air would definitely have a pretty good battery life, even with a thin profile. Samsung and Google are still stuck with older batteries which is why their phones have average/terrible battery life. That is not the case with Android phones from Chinese OEMs for the last 2-3 years. 

  There have been murmurs about new battery tech in the upcoming iPhones, particularly the Air, but no solid info of any type from the rumor mill and the Apple rumor "brand names" like Gurman, Kuo and Prosser. This isn't to say it's definitely not happening, but 7 weeks out from the iPhone 17 launch, I would think we'd have heard more than we have about change this major. And in a few years, I don't see the major Chinese OEMs being on Android any longer. Huawei is already moving to its own HarmonyOS that is unrelated to Android. Xiaomi is running a version of Android heavily customized in-house called Xiaomi HyperOS, setting the stage to completely transition to their own OS. Oppo is running its ColorOS on top of Android. I think the Chinese, in general--and we certainly see this in their EVs, which leave Tesla in the dust--are determined to offer something better than the best of Western tech. It also illustrates what happens to consumers in a nation with high tariff walls: Americans don't get to buy the truly awesome Chinese EVs because they're kept out by a 100% (or more?) tariff rate. We have to settle for inferior EVs at higher prices. 

  edited July 22

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• Reply 14 of 15

  muthuk_vanalingam Posts: 1,444member

  July 22, 2025 1:54PM

  charlesn said:

  sroussey2 said:

  They should directly to tri-screen foldable and jump ahead of the market.

  Apple's already late to the party on tri-folds: 
  
  https://consumer.huawei.com/my/phones/mate-xt-ultimate-design/
  
  

  muthuk_vanalingam said:

  Apple would adopt the Silicon Carbon batteries in the upcoming iPhones and iPhone Air would definitely have a pretty good battery life, even with a thin profile. Samsung and Google are still stuck with older batteries which is why their phones have average/terrible battery life. That is not the case with Android phones from Chinese OEMs for the last 2-3 years. 

  There have been murmurs about new battery tech in the upcoming iPhones, particularly the Air, but no solid info of any type from the rumor mill and the Apple rumor "brand names" like Gurman, Kuo and Prosser. This isn't to say it's definitely not happening, but 7 weeks out from the iPhone 17 launch, I would think we'd have heard more than we have about change this major. And in a few years, I don't see the major Chinese OEMs being on Android any longer. Huawei is already moving to its own HarmonyOS that is unrelated to Android. Xiaomi is running a version of Android heavily customized in-house called Xiaomi HyperOS, setting the stage to completely transition to their own OS. Oppo is running its ColorOS on top of Android. I think the Chinese, in general--and we certainly see this in their EVs, which leave Tesla in the dust--are determined to offer something better than the best of Western tech. It also illustrates what happens to consumers in a nation with high tariff walls: Americans don't get to buy the truly awesome Chinese EVs because they're kept out by a 100% (or more?) tariff rate. We have to settle for inferior EVs at higher prices. 

  Good point about Apple rumor mill not talking about changes in battery technology. I still feel that rumor mill is wrong about iPhone Air having reduced battery capacity than current iPhones. Anyway, just few weeks from now, we will know for sure the direction that Apple has taken for iPhone Air.

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• Reply 15 of 15

  applezulu Posts: 2,531member

  July 22, 2025 2:00PM

  charlesn said:

  AppleZulu said:

  A folding iPhone isn't going to happen. There are nonsensical red flags all over the prognostications on this concept. As noted here, the release date is always just around the corner. The original predictions would've had it out three years ago. Now the latest have it out a year or more from now, but with the same folding screen Samsung already has already developed. So this means we're supposed to believe that Apple has taken an extra five years to create a folding phone that is literally no different or better than the competition. 
  
  Apple is famously late to the party with new products, but it's because they've taken time to reimagine the whole idea and produce something that has intrinsic usefulness that's lacking in the existing competition, which is always satisfied with the novel, regardless of actual utility. The iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods all reimagined existing concepts. These things didn't just replace mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, smart watches and wireless ear buds. They re-defined those categories. In doing so, Apple did better than being first to release something by instead becoming the first that anyone thinks of.
  
  Showing up five years late with an Apple-branded folding Samsung phone that breaks no new ground doesn't do any of that. Why would anyone believe that this is something Apple is actually going to do?

  All well-stated. But... there is the China piece to this, as Gurman mentioned, and that does make some sense. It's Apple's second largest market and the top handset makers there are releasing some truly killer, cutting edge high-end folding phones. Huawei is already making a tri-fold phone. These phones put the Samsung and Google offerings to shame and I think it creates a perception problem for the Apple brand in terms of iPhone seeming less premium, more 2nd tier, because it's not even competing with the most premium, tech laden Chinese phones. That said, an Apple folding phone with "me, too" hardware about equal to Samsung isn't going to help with that perception. And I honestly don't know if the benefits of "the Apple ecosystem" and its seamless integration of various Apple products means as much in China as it does in the U.S. 

  This is a good time to recall the old adage about lies, damn lies and statistics. Folding smartphones have shown an astounding 27% growth in China! 
  
  

  That sounds really impressive and important until you see the other stat that this means they're now 3% of the market there. So in reality, this "growth" represents a statistically insignificant fraction of a fraction of a percent change within lower single digits in the Chinese market, the only place where anyone is even trying to claim that folding phones have any significance. With this dialed out to that reality, I'll stand by my observation that it seems pretty unlikely that Apple is going to, after several years' delay, rush something underwhelming to market out of FOMO in China. 

  
  

  There are only two scenarios I can imagine within the way Apply operates that any of this represents any scintilla of something real. One is that this is about an iPad, not a phone. An iPad that folds up to more easily fit in your purse or whatever makes some kind of sense. It wouldn't require much change or bloat in iPadOS to accommodate it, and would be less susceptible to the repetitive-use wear and tear problems of a phone that would be flexed hundreds of times a day. The other is that most of the specifics of the folding iPhone rumors are wrong, and that Apple has come up with something that does use a folding screen, but is implemented in some way that makes an entirely new use case for the device beyond the novelty of hey look, it folds! While this scenario is possible, it also seems highly unlikely that after five years of constant rumors on the subject, no one has even caught wind of it being something different, even if they can't determine how it's different.
  
  So I'll stick with my position that this is almost certainly just the rumor mill out snipe hunting and fishing for red herring.

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