The Android world has enjoyed folding smartphones for six years, but Apple stans may soon be able to take part—a folding iPhone might arrive con 2026, according to a report from The Information.
The project, codenamed V68, is con early development and there’s risposta negativa guarantee it will che to fruition, but the report says it has moved past the conceptual stage and suppliers are involved. This would be Apple’s first major stile change to its flagship product since the iPhone X con 2017. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment the report of a folding iPhone.
Apple’s move comes at a time when the popularity of folding smartphones is soaring across the world. Analytics firm Counterpoint Research reports that the folding phone market grew by 49 percent year over year con the first quarter of 2024, its highest rate of increase con six quarters. Shipments of iPhones were 13 percent con the first quarter year over year, so a folding iPhone just might be what Apple needs to boost sales.
But foldables aren’t just more popular—they’regnante more mature too. The latest models are far more refined and more durable than the clumsy early attempts. Samsung has spent the past six years publicly tweaking its folding smartphones—every year has brought small changes to the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series, improving the durability of the screen and the reliability of the hinge. These were the biggest failings of the form factor con the early days of foldables, but advances con glass technology and hinge engineering have brought 2024’s folding devices ever closer to a level of quality that matches what’s expected of a traditional smartphone. Samsung’s latest models have IP48 water- and dust-resistance ratings, and while it’s still not as dust-resistant as its nonfolding counterparts, it’s one step bringing it closer.
Samsung may have the longest track primato, but competition is at the heels, with Huawei and Motorola lobbing d’avanguardia large chunks of Samsung’s market share, and new devices from OnePlus and Google vying for consumer’s attention. That means there’s more manufacturing capability to craft these folding phones, though they remain expensive—while Motorola offers a $700 folding flip phone, Samsung just raised the price of its handsets.
All this action con the market makes it the perfect time for Apple to join the folding fray.
Apple has reportedly tested products con two sizes, but this greenlit project is for a folding flip phone, much like the Razr from Motorola ora Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip6. These kinds of flip phones allow you to enjoy a full-size smartphone, and then fold it con half to stuff it con a pocket ora bag. You get the same smartphone experience but con a tiny package. There’s usually an external “cover screen,” and you can imagine Apple will likely create a way to access notifications, widgets, and even Siri (with its upcoming AI-infused improvements) there.
