We've seen a bunch of rumors lately about Apple making a foldable iPhone, specifically a clamshell-style flip phone. This would certainly make sense, following in the footsteps of Huawei, Samsung, and Motorola, who all offer foldable phones.
But when might we see a foldable iPhone? What would it look like? And would it be any good? Let's take a look at everything we know about a foldable iPhone right now.
Apple Holds a Foldable iPhone Patent
Let's start off with something we actually know for sure–Apple holds multiple patents for folding iPhones. In particular, Apple holds a USPTO patent for a foldable iPhone with an "exposed display region". That is to say, a display on the outside.
A patent from 2016 details an iPhone that folds in half horizontally, using a flexible OLED display and metal hinge. Both halves of the display remain accessible when the phone is shut. Another Apple patent describes two magnetically connected displays that can be used jointly.
This suggests Apple is working on both a clamshell-style flip phone, like the Galaxy Z Flip, and a larger device like the Galaxy Fold.
What's more, another Apple patent shows work on a protective screen layer for a foldable iPhone, which would resist cracking. According to the patent, the iPhone would feature a hard layer that would fill existing micro-cracks to make it harder for a larger crack to appear.
There are plenty of other patents for Apple foldable phones as well. There's one that demonstrates a display that wraps around the entire device. And there are even patents that explore how Touch ID could return to the foldable iPhone. It's very clear that this is something Apple is actively working on.
One positive sign with these patents is that multiple Apple analysts have been told by sources that prototype devices are being tested. Jon Prosser, explained that prototype shells were being tested, in an episode of Front Page Tech. Ming-Chi Kuo has detailed expected screen sizes, Ross Young has spoken about the device being tested, and so has Mark Gurman.
It's worth noting that many smartphone manufacturers, especially Apple, file many patents that never come to fruition. A patent only confirms that a company is working on a product, not that it will actually be released.
How Big Would a Foldable iPhone Be?
A report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a 75 percent accuracy rating on AppleTrack, explains that the foldable iPhone will have a display measuring eight inches. Reportedly, there's also a nine-inch display in testing.
An eight-inch display would be larger than the current iPad mini (which is one of the best devices that Apple makes) or Galaxy Fold. It lines up with more recent reports from Ben Wood that Apple will release a foldable iPad first.
From these reports, it looks like Apple is working on the Galaxy Fold competitor first, before coming to the flip phone. An eight-inch display would have to take a Galaxy Fold style form factor, purely because of the size. Also, the lack of leaks surrounding the size of a clamshell iPhone suggests it might be coming later.
As always, this information remains neither confirmed nor denied by Apple. Reports such as this one often turn out to be correct, but can just as easily be false.
What Features Might a Foldable iPhone Have?
Let's start with the display. Based on Apple's patents, it appears as though the foldable iPhone will come with an OLED display. That's not out of the ordinary for Apple, but nice to have confirmed.
Apple introduced 120Hz displays on the iPhone 13 series, with its ProMotion display tech. So, it would make sense to appear on a foldable display too. Both Samsung's Galaxy Fold and Flip devices boast 120Hz displays, so we know it's possible. There's a rumour of an e-ink display from Ming-Chi Kuo for the external screen on a flip model, but this seems less likely.
When it comes to the camera, we're likely to see similar upgrades. It's not often that leaks specifically mention changes to the iPhone camera, so this one is a bit more of a guess. It seems likely that a premium foldable iPhone would carry three cameras and a LiDAR sensor, just like the current Pro iPhones.
Going further, a foldable iPhone might reintroduce Touch ID. We've heard for years that Touch ID could return to the iPhone, but it's yet to arrive. Perhaps a foldable iPhone would be a more appropriate device to reintroduce Touch ID, with a folding display prohibiting Face ID sensors in the notch. There's still an argument as to which method is more secure, so including both would offer the best of both worlds.
When it comes to other features, there's nothing else we've heard. The fact a foldable iPhone can fold is a pretty big feature in itself. Many other features would likely come with that year's iOS software update.
What Might a Foldable iPhone Cost?
A foldable iPhone's price isn't the easiest element to consider. There are numerous different factors, including when the device is released, which size is released first, and the price of the competition at that time.
The Galaxy Fold 5 currently retails for $1,799, which hasn't decreased much from the first iteration. Foldables are a relatively new type of device, so are likely to carry a high price anyway. The book form-factor is the most expensive, packing the largest screen real-estate.
However, a flip phone design might be more affordable. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 goes for $999, which is one of the cheapest foldables right now. It costs as much as a base-model iPhone 14 Pro. So, perhaps Apple will release this model first, appealing to a wider audience.
With foldables somewhat decreasing in price, it seems likely that Apple could offer its foldable device at the same benchmark. Apple and Samsung often retail flagship devices at an identical (or very similar) price, so it's likely this trend will continue across foldables.
When Will Apple Release a Foldable iPhone?
This is where things get tricky. Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the first foldable iPhone will launch in 2023. It would seem this isn't the case, with no foldable on the cards for 2023. Rumours are suggesting that the foldable smartphone will arrive later.
Display analyst, Ross Young, reported that he expects a foldable to release as soon as 2024. Kuo disagrees, with his estimation of a foldable iPhone sitting in 2025. Gurman disagrees with the 2024 release window, but is yet to report an alternative estimate.
As you can see, Apple's foldable phone could be right around the corner, or a little further off. Things certainly aren't clear. Apple is already a good few years behind on foldables, and another two years would put the company even further behind.
Putting leaks and rumors aside for one moment, Apple is due a form factor refresh in 2024 or 2025. If Apple follows its usual release pattern from the iPhone 6, iPhone X, and iPhone 14, 2024 is the earliest we should expect the next major iPhone redesign.
Apple Could Make Foldables Mainstream
Although we've got a large offering of foldable phones from Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola, Apple could make the product category more mainstream. Most people still have a look of surprise on their face when seeing a foldable device, so it's safe to say they're not quite an everyday smartphone just yet.
Foldables account for only eight million of the almost four billion smartphone devices being used. Perhaps Apple will boost those numbers with a foldable iPhone release. But there are still plenty of reasons that foldables aren't mainstream yet.