Does it finally come, the hinged iPhone? First of all, you have to know what “now” means in this context: Before 2026, even the most optimistic rumor chefs, it will probably be nothing with Apple's first foldable. But in the autumn of next year it could be so far. Before that, in September 2025 – the iPhone 17 Air, Apple's narrowest smartphone, has been pending. At least a first larger change of form factor is promptly into the house. But what specifically should the iPhone foldable, which has not yet had a name? Will Apple orientate itself to the competition such as Samsung or Google – or go its own way? An overview.
Foldables are an old idea
First of all, you have to know that foldables have been in the Android area for years. Foldable devices with hinge and flexible OLED display has been offering Samsung since February 2019-for six years. The devices have now been sent through: there were initially serious problems with durability (for example through dust penetrating and poorly durable hinges), these difficulties are now considered to be fixed. Nevertheless, the devices on the market have only partially prevailed. On the one hand, this is due to the price, which is happy to be 1600 euros and more, on the other hand also due to the possible uses. Although you get more screen surface with a foldable when opened, it is square, so that you have massive image edges for cinema films and TV series, which are shown in the 16: 9 format. Nevertheless, the technology offers interesting opportunities, for example to use several apps at the same time, which iOS currently does not yet support.
Despite the problems mentioned with the square screen, Apple apparently plans a foldable in book style. This means that when folded down, there would be an operation via a regular external display the size of a standard IPHONE, which doubles on the inside when it is opened. An outdoor display of 5.5 to 6.9 inches is considered conceivable, with an internal size of 7.8 to 8 inches. In contrast to the competition, the umbrella should have almost no folding edge thanks to new Apple technology. Thanks to the liquid metal alloy, the hinges are supposedly very durable, but still light and thin. There could be cameras on the front and on the back, including a Dynamic Island inside. According to individual analysts, a return of a touch ID fingerprint sensor can also be expected to unlock.
iOS 19 with a new look – also for foldable?
The battery life is said to be particularly long, to which Apple allegedly works on new battery technology. The particularly thin cells are to be tested in the iPhone 17 Air. The operating system should be specifically adapted to foldables, iOS 19 with its supposedly completely new look would offer a basis here.
It is to be hoped that Apple brings multitasking functions that are better than what is already known from iPados. The price is certainly towards the luxury product: tariffs from 2000 euros are considered realistic. It is unclear whether Apple is working on revised form factors such as double foldables in the sense of Huawei. Such devices are already superior to classic foldables, even if it is also here Questions about durability gives. It is to be hoped that Apple has used the long time since the first devices were introduced to exclude such problems from the outset.
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