Apple Desperately Must Launch a Foldable iPhone Flip Subsequent Yr

Apple’s iPhone 17 got here and went and whereas we definitely love the iPhone 17 Pro and its vibrant cosmic orange colour, I can not assist however be disenchanted that the long-rumored foldable iPhone Flip wasn’t a part of the corporate’s September launch occasion. Most Android phone-makers, including Samsung, Google, Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Honor are a number of generations into their very own folding cellphone lineups, and it is starting to really feel like Apple is late to the occasion. That is perhaps an issue. 

Apple dominates within the premium cellphone class, however foldables — which match into the premium house by way of worth — are already nipping at its heels, with Motorola telling CNET that 20% of consumers shopping for its Razr foldable jumped ship from Apple. In the meantime, Samsung is within the seventh era of its Flip and Fold collection. As Lisa Eadicicco found throughout a go to to Seoul, “foldables are everywhere” in Samsung’s house nation of South Korea.

With almost each main Android phone-maker coming into the foldable market, Apple dangers shedding potential prospects. It additionally runs the danger of letting a rival like Samsung turn into the go-to title for foldables, which may make it more durable for Apple to make an affect if it will definitely launches its personal gadget. Moreover, early adopters drawn to foldable tech could also be too entrenched within the Android ecosystem by the point Apple’s cellphone arrives to wish to swap to iOS.

Apple is unlikely to be anxious. It is estimated that round 20 million foldables from all producers have been offered worldwide in 2023, whereas Apple reportedly offered 26.5 million iPhone 14 Professional Max handsets within the first half of that yr alone. In 2024, foldable gross sales have been flat — and 2025 is not fairing significantly better, in response to analysts at CounterPoint Research, though Samsung did report record numbers of preorders for its newest foldable. Clearly, Apple feels it has but to overlook the boat.

Apple has all the time discovered success in biding its time, observing the trade and launching its personal tackle a product when it is prepared. Apple did not invent telephones, tablets, smartwatches or computer systems, nevertheless it discovered methods to take current merchandise and make them extra helpful, extra priceless in day-to-day life and — dare I say — extra thrilling. It is why the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac traces dominate the market right now. 

For me, I have to see Apple’s tackle the foldable cellphone. I’ve written earlier than about how disappointed I am in foldables. I have been a cellular reporter for over 14 years and telephones have turn into more and more uninteresting as they’ve converged to turn into slight variations on the identical rectangular slab. 

Learn extra: Best Flip Phone for 2025

Foldables promised something new, one thing modern, one thing that briefly sparked some pleasure in me, however a number of years in, that pleasure has dwindled to the purpose of being extinguished. They’re wonderful merchandise and whereas I just like the novelty of a display screen that bends, they don’t seem to be a revolution in how we work together with our telephones. Not in the best way that the arrival of the touchscreen was after we have been nonetheless pushing buttons to kind out texts. 

I did hope that Google’s Pixel Fold can be the phone to catapult the foldable forward, and whereas the current Pixel 10 Professional Fold — the second era of Google’s foldable — does supply some nice updates, it nonetheless would not supply any form of revolution. As a substitute, it feels extra like a “me too” transfer from Google. Ditto for the OnePlus Open. So I am left as a substitute to look towards Apple, an organization with a monitor file for product revolutions, to create a brand new tackle the style that genuinely drives ahead how we use our telephones. 

That innovation will not simply come from the product design. Apple works carefully with its third-party software program builders, and it is that enter that may assist a folding iPhone turn into genuinely helpful. My largest grievance round foldables proper now could be that whereas the {hardware} is respectable, the gadgets are basically simply operating customary variations of Android with a handful of UI tweaks thrown in. They’re common telephones that simply occur to bend. 

Few Android builders are embracing the folding format, and it isn’t troublesome to see why; the customers aren’t there in enough numbers but to justify the time and expense to adapt their software program throughout quite a lot of display screen sizes. The a number of folding codecs already obtainable imply Android foldables face the identical fragmentation problem that has plagued the platform because the starting. Android-based foldables are merely a tougher platform for builders to construct for than common telephones. Apple would be capable to change that, because it proved with the iPhone and iPad. 

Given Apple’s shut relationships with top-tier builders — to not point out its personal huge developer workforce — I count on an eventual Apple foldable to supply improvements that make it extra than simply an iPhone that folds in half. 

And I actually hope it does. I wish to look ahead to tech launches once more. I wish to really feel excited to get a brand new gadget in my palms and really feel that “wow” second as I do one thing transformative for the primary time.

In brief, I do not wish to be bored by expertise anymore. Apple, it is over to you.