Apple is Reportedly Working on At Least Two Foldable iPhone Prototypes

Apple is reportedly working on foldable versions of its iPhone that fold vertically like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip devices. According to a report from The Information citing a person with direct knowledge of the company’s plans, Apple is testing at least two clamshell-like prototypes, but mass production isn’t expected to start until 2024 or 2025.

In recent years, several manufacturers including Samsung, Google, Microsoft, and Motorola have launched foldable phones that either fold horizontally or vertically. Flip-phone style devices like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr+ are more reminiscent of clamshell phones from the late 90s/early 2000s, and it would be interesting to see Apple follow that route as well.

According to the report, Apple wants its foldable iPhones to have external displays similar, similar to existing foldable phones on the market. However, the company is said to be facing some design challenges as it’s aiming to create a device that’s “as thin as current iPhone models” when folded. That means that each side of the device would need to be half as thin as current iPhones, and that wouldn’t leave a lot of space for batteries and other components.

As you may remember, the first foldable phones that came to market sometimes offered a compromised experience. the first Samsung Galaxy Z Fold was fragile due to the presence of a small gap between the two screens. Microsoft’s first Surface Duo, however, did the bare minimum with no external screens or cameras.

Following years of iterative updates, foldable phones remain more expensive than traditional slab phones, which is why they’re still pretty niche. However, Apple, which apparently has no problem selling its new $3,499 Vision Pro headset, should easily manage to sell foldable iPhones that are even more expensive than the current iPhone 15 Pro Max starting at $1,199.

As the Apple Vision Pro just proved recently, Apple often comes late to a market but with a better technology and execution than its competitors. The Information also reports that Apple’s work on foldable also extends to the iPad, a product category that’s been losing momentum for many years. 2023 was the first year Apple released no new iPad models, but new models should finally come this spring.