In today’s Power On newsletter from Mark Gurman, an interesting new possibility was shared for the iPhone lineup: a smaller, clamshell foldable iPhone. This model is far from fruition, though Apple is currently considering it.
iPhone Flip is on the table
This isn’t necessarily the first time we’ve heard that Apple is considering a clamshell foldable iPhone, akin to the Galaxy Z Flip. In 2024, The Information reported that Apple had a couple clamshell foldable prototypes as the company was exploring how it’d launch a foldable iPhone. Ultimately, the tablet-style foldable won out, and that’ll debut later this year.
Now, the idea is back on the table. From Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman:
Now there’s another foldable device under consideration inside Apple labs: a square, clamshell-style foldable phone.
The product is far from guaranteed to reach the market. Still, Apple is betting that its first foldable iPhone will be successful enough to generate real demand for the category and that customers will want additional shapes and sizes, much as they have with traditional slab-style iPhones.
This idea seems very early to say the least, given the fact that there’s no concept of a release timeline. Still, it’s exciting that Apple might have multiple foldable iPhones in the pipeline, rather than just the one model that’ll launch later this year.
Gurman also mentions that Apple is considering a book-style foldable. Last year, he reported that Apple was considering an 18-inch foldable iPad – though it may cost around $3000.
Wrap up
It certainly feels like we’re looking a little ahead given the fact that Apple’s first foldable iPhone is still at least 7 months away from debut. Nonetheless, its fascinating to hear whats in the works.
As a refresher, Apple’s first foldable iPhone should feature a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display. You can read more about it here.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
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