We've been hearing reports about a foldable iPhone for years now, and the most recent ones suggest it could finally arrive in late 2026.
There are two approaches Apple could take with this product, and so far we haven't seen a consensus on which one would be better…
Option 1: The Flip
The first approach is a top-down fold, where the open device has a screen the same size as the existing iPhone and folds down to a very pocket-friendly device and a half height and width, at the expense of doubling the thickness.
This approach is commonly referred to as a “clamshell” design, and is effectively a reimagining of the “dumb” phone format popularized by the Motorola Razr:
A modern example of this is Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6:
There's a small screen on the outside of the folded device, useful for notifications, and then it unfolds into the main screen on the inside:
Option 2: The Fold
The second approach is to have a folded device the same size as an existing iPhone, which then unfolds into a larger screen, something like an iPad mini.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an example of this. On the outside, you have one full-size display:
It then opens up to reveal a display twice the size inside:
Another possible way to use this design is a laptop-style clamshell, as envisioned by designer Antonio De Rosa:
Which approach should Apple take?
Which approach do you think Apple should take — flipping or folding?
When we asked this question back in 2021, most of you weren't interested in a foldable iPhone, but among those who were, there wasn't a clear consensus on which form factor would be best. There was a slight preference for a clamshell design, but it wasn't anything special.
Top comment by Augusto Galindo
For me, clamshells don't make any sense at all, they're just a gimmick. Foldable devices can be interesting, having a bigger screen that fits in your pocket would be useful, but they all have terrible aspect ratios in both forms, the only one with a great aspect ratio is the Huawei Trifold, which becomes a screen almost the size of an 11-inch iPad.
The technology isn't ready yet, though, they all have folds, mediocre battery life when unfolded, generally bad speakers, and less durability. I doubt Apple will enter this market anytime soon.
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This time, we'll split the questions to first figure out how many people would buy a foldable iPhone (if it came in your preferred format), and then what design Apple should use.
As for the first question, Samsung's precedent suggests that this would be an expensive option, significantly more expensive than any existing iPhone model, so please take that into account when answering.
Please answer each question and share your thoughts in the comments.
Images: 9to5Google and Antonio De Rosa
