Flip phone with Samsung display
Apple is said to be already preparing the “iPhone Flip”
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Perhaps the time is now ripe for a foldable iPhone. According to sources from suppliers, Apple is preparing a device that folds on a horizontal axis and could thus become a competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
There has been speculation for several years that Apple could release a foldable iPhone, but so far none of the rumors have been confirmed. But perhaps the time is now ripe, as Samsung recently introduced the sixth and fifth generation of its foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6. According to a report by Digitimes, Apple began developing a foldable iPhone this year and is planning a market launch in 2026.
The industry service refers to articles in South Korean media, according to which it is a device that is folded from top to bottom like the Galaxy Z Flip. When unfolded, it is said to have approximately the dimensions of a normal iPhone. Apple has already signed a contract to supply flexible screens with Samsung Display (SDC), writes “Digitimes”.
The fact that the company was basically working on a foldable iPhone became clear last year at the latest, when a corresponding patent was filed in the USA. However, the most accurate Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, assumed at the time that the company would first present an “iPad Fold”, probably as early as 2024.
Response to Chinese demand
Theoretically, Apple could still present a folding iPad this year, and a foldable MacBook, which has also been rumored, is not out of the question, but there are currently no signs of this. Due to the challenges in the Chinese smartphone market, Apple has reportedly changed its plans and now wants to introduce the iPhone as its first foldable product, according to “Digitimes”.
“9to5Mac” considers the reports plausible, as the Chinese market is extremely important for Apple and foldable smartphones are already commonplace there. However, an “iPhone Flip” is riskier than implementing the technology in a larger device first.
According to a Counterpoint analysis, the US company's market share in China was 16 percent in the first quarter, after reaching 21 percent at the end of 2023, the highest since the fourth quarter of 2022 (23 percent). Most recently, Apple is said to have boosted sales in China again through discount campaigns.
