Folding iPhone: What do we know about the Apple flip phone?

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For several years now, rumours have been making the rounds about the arrival of a folding iPhone from Apple. While no model has yet been made official, a number of factors suggest that such a device could very well see the light of day in the years to come.

Patents filed, contacts with suppliers and expert analysis: there’s no shortage of evidence to fuel speculation. So what can we expect? A flip iPhone, like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip? Or a model that folds out into a tablet, like the Galaxy Z Fold?

It’s hard to say just yet. But one thing is certain: the arrival of a folding iPhone would mark a major turning point for the Apple brand.

• Folding iPhone release date
• What would the new foldable iPhone look like?
• Will the Apple flip phone be the ultimate folding phone?
• A partnership with Samsung for folding screens
• A folding iPad and MacBook on the way?
• How much would a folding iPhone cost?
• Folding iPhone FAQs

Folding iPhone release date

Rumours are swirling that Apple is indeed working on a foldable iPhone. Although speculation had died down recently, new information has rekindled the flame. According to The Information, the Cupertino-based company has begun talks with Asian suppliers with a view to producing components for a foldable smartphone.

While the date of 2026 has been mentioned, we should remain particularly cautious at this stage. Projects of this scale are often subject to a number of uncertainties. Production problems, technical difficulties or even changes in strategy could push back the deadline or even cancel the project.

What would the new foldable iPhone look like?

According to information reported by The Verge, Apple has decided on a model. The device is said to have an internal nickname: “V68“. For the American media outlet, this information proves that the idea has gone beyond the stage of a simple project and is now under development.

The Digitimes report, relayed by 9to5Mac, states that Apple’s foldable iPhone would adopt a “clamshell” design. This means that the device would fold in half vertically, like the Samsung Galaxy Flip. This design would allow the iPhone to retain a compact size when folded while offering a larger screen when unfolded. This may come as a surprise, given Apple’s preference for innovation over copying.

The report also states that Apple’s foldable iPhone would have similar dimensions to existing iPhones when unfolded.

Will the Apple flip phone be the ultimate folding phone?

Rumours about the new foldable iPhone are nothing new. A few months ago, as reported by the Korean version of Investing.com, an Apple executive was quoted as saying: “The foldable iPhone will be thinner and lighter than its competitors”, adding: “The aim is to avoid crease marks, which is a problem for competitors”.

This statement appears to be corroborated by media outlet gizchina, which in 2023 claimed that the Cupertino firm had filed a patent for a self-healing screen technology, hinting at the possibility of a foldable iPhone without the unpleasant crease that these smartphones lack.

Since the arrival of foldable smartphones on the market, one negative point has remained: the crease in the screen. Despite technological advances, this indelible mark remains visible. It affects the overall aesthetics of the phone and raises questions about the durability of the product.

It is in this context that Apple seems to want to make a difference. The patent filed, and visible on Patently Apple, describes a technology capable of automatically repairing screen defects. How does it do this? By combining heat, light and electrical stimulation, the screen could literally repair itself.

Patently Apple is a blog specialising in tracking Apple’s patents. It analyses in detail the patent applications, granted patents and trademark applications filed by Apple with the US Patent and Trademark Office. It is an extremely valuable resource for understanding Apple’s future products and technologies.

A partnership with Samsung for folding screens

The Digitimes report goes on to say that, in recent years, Apple has indeed obtained patents relating to foldable products. We also learn that in 2024, Apple officially began R&D on a new foldable iPhone. R&D, which stands for Research and Development, defines the process of seeking out new information and ideas and using this knowledge to create new products, services, processes, etc.

The Californian company has even signed a contract to supply screen panels to Samsung Display (SDC), after putting the Korean company in competition with LG Display.

Samsung is a leader in the field of foldable screens and supplies panels to a number of smartphone manufacturers, including Huawei and Motorola. This partnership would guarantee Apple access to the most advanced foldable screen technology on the market.

Given Apple’s usual 2-year development cycle for new products, a launch in 2026 makes sense.

A folding iPad and MacBook on the way?

A new foldable iPhone represents a major challenge for Apple. A foldable screen implies new technical constraints, such as strength and durability. What’s more, years behind its competitors in the foldable smartphone market, Apple will be eagerly awaited.

Apple could therefore decide to get its teeth into other foldable products, less eagerly awaited than smartphones, before launching the foldable iPhone. That seems to be the view of TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who regularly shares his predictions about trends in the high-tech industry on X.

In 2022, he indicated that Apple could launch a foldable iPad or an iPad/iPhone hybrid in 2025.

I expected Apple to launch a foldable iPhone as soon as 2024 in my reports last year, but now it's clear this prediction needs to be revised. I predict Apple may launch its first foldable product in 2025 at the earliest, which may be a foldable iPad or a hybrid of iPad & iPhone. https://t.co/HGIDPFvdar

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) April 1, 2022

According to South Korean website The Elec, which specialises in news about tech companies’ supply chains, Apple is reportedly planning to launch a MacBook with a foldable screen by 2026. The Californian firm is said to be working on a MacBook with a foldable OLED display that can reach 20 inches when deployed.

How much would a folding iPhone cost?

The price of a folding iPhone is a big unknown, and there is no official information on the subject.

Apple has a reputation for offering high-end products, and its foldable smartphone is likely to be no exception. We can expect a high launch price, comparable to that of current Pro Max models, if not higher. As a reminder, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max went on sale in September 2023 from £1,199.

Several factors, such as technological complexity, the materials used and competition, could influence (upwards) the final price of a foldable iPhone.

The prospect of a new folding iPhone is exciting, but we should remain cautious. The information available is still sketchy, and the reality could be different. Nevertheless, this news opens up some interesting prospects for the future of the smartphone. Will Apple be able to reinvent the market once again? We’ll have the answer in a few months.

Folding iPhone FAQs

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This is a translation of Louise Constant’s article for our sister publication, Dealabs Magazine.

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