While Apple has been successful with its iPhone lineup, one can argue that there's not much variety in the company's options. However, that might change in a few years as the tech giant is rumored to be developing a foldable phone.
Apple's Potential Foldable iPhone
Samsung has so far been the leading brand in foldable phones with its Galaxy Z models. Apple might be entering the market soon with a 20.3-inch foldable device slated for 2025 and a foldable iPhone, which the company intends to mass produce this 2026.
Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu saw an investor note stating the possibility. If that's the case, then Apple is fast-tracking its development of foldable devices, with "increasing visibility" based on supply chain checks, as reported by 9To5Mac.
Pu mentioned that the foldable devices would become a new lineup for the iPhone maker, which would target the "ultra-high-end market." For the foldable iPhones, the company is said to be looking into 7.9-inch and 8.3-inch screen dimensions.
It's unclear what the 20.3-inch foldable device would look like, but the foldable iPhone paints a vivid image of the typical iPhone, only this time, you'll be able to fold it in half similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold.
Since there are not a lot of rumors backing this particular venture, it's best to take it with a grain of salt for now. It does bode well that Apple has resources to spare given that it has already dropped its Apple car project.
However, the company has other things to worry about as well. It's AR/VR device, for instance, will need a lot of improvements to get out of the slump it is in now. Many buyers are returning their devices claiming that it was either impractical or uncomfortable to use.
There are already rumors circulating about a cheaper version of the Apple Vision Pro, which would benefit the company since there are alternative options that can do most of what the Vision Pro can offer like the Meta Quest 3.
Samsung Leads the Market For Now
There are a lot of brands that offer foldable phones like Google with the Google Pixel Fold and Motorola with the Razr+, but none still come close to Samsung, especially with the improved model that was recently released.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 already comes with Galaxy AI, and has a 7.6-inch display when opened. The hinge of the latter model is better now that it leaves no gap in between the screen when folded, which prevents potential damage from debris and pressure when stored.
The battery life has increased as it now allows you to listen to audio for up to 73 hours, and watch videos for up to 21 hours. The GPU is increased by 32%, the NPU by 25%, and the CPU by 18%, which is a welcome improvement for those using the device for gaming.
If Apple intends to compete with Samsung, it has to catch up with the innovation of foldable devices, but it has already proven to be powerful enough for heavy apps. Just recently, Apple announced that users can now play the AAA game Assassin's Creed Mirage on the latest Apple iPhones and iPads.
