The iPhone 15 Will Likely Launch Soon. But Where’s Apple’s Foldable iPhone?

We’re quickly getting closer to Apple’s fall iPhone event where we expect the iPhone 15 series to be announced. However, one thing we don’t expect is for Apple to launch a foldable version of its iPhone. And that’s a bit strange given that 2023 has seen a surge of foldable phone releases.

The Motorola Razr Plus proved that the third time is the charm (at least in the US). The $1,799 Google Pixel Fold is starting to ship to customers. And the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 reinforced Samsung’s dominance over everything that folds.

OnePlus teased that it will launch a foldable later this year, leaving Apple as the only major US phone-maker without a foldable device. And outside the US, Oppo, Huawei and Xiaomi all have foldable phones. 

All of this leaves an obvious question: Where’s Apple’s foldable iPhone?

Since we won’t know for sure whether we’ll get an iPhone Fold or an iPhone Flip until they’re announced, I want to break down what it would take for Apple to make its first foldable based on everything we know about how the company designs, builds and markets its hardware.

Apple doesn’t comment on future products

The first thing to consider is that Apple doesn’t announce products until they’re ready. OK, there was the AirPower wireless charging pad. But otherwise Apple isn’t going to tell us it’s working on a foldable iPhone or confirm rumors.

Next, Apple typically positions products as a solution to a problem, highlighting quality and innovation.

The Galaxy Z Fold seems less like an answer to a problem and more of a “look at this tech wizardry, what can we do with it?!” And the cool factor, as ingenious as it is, comes at the expense of features we expect from regular phones, including battery life, ergonomics, software experience and price. The Galaxy Z Flip solves the problem of portability, but it comes with some of the same drawbacks as the Fold, particularly around battery life and camera quality. 

To be fair, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 took a significant step forward by embracing its large main screen and adding support for Samsung’s S Pen stylus. And the Z Fold 5’s improved Flex Mode for apps seems like it might tip the balance, making the Fold more useful than just cool.

If Apple were to release a foldable iPhone, what problem would it solve? Could it be an iPhone Flip, replacing the iPhone 13 Mini by offering you a big screen that’s still pocket-friendly? Or would it be an iPhone Fold — more like an iPad Mini that folds in half, making its closed size more like that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max? Or will we see a design that doesn’t exist yet? What about an iPhone Roll, where the screen unrolls like an expanding window shade? That’s where rumors start to enter the picture. 

iOS and iPadOS would need to be revamped

And then there’s the software. One UI, Samsung’s name for its take on Android, has to be the most underappreciated aspect of the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold. These new designs would have to simultaneously do all the things we expect from current phones while also creating new functionality that takes advantage of their folding screens. They’d also have to do all of these things flawlessly without any bugs or hiccups. And if Google does launch the Pixel Fold, I’d expect there to be even better Android support for foldables. 

For instance, the Galaxy phones’ Flex Mode has been around for years. Essentially, when the Fold or Flip are folded into an L-shape, like a mini laptop, the software shifts an app to the top half of the screen while providing functionality at the bottom. Sounds cool and full of possibilities, right?

Well, until this year that functionality has been limited. That’s why it matters that Samsung’s Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 let you turn the bottom half of their screens into touchpads while they’re in Flex Mode. The company is now showing an added benefit of the fold.