Folding phonesstill have flaws, but they’re getting better, cheaper, and cooler.
Might they be on the edge of taking off?
Or is this like the smartphone and tablet worlds, where nothing really happened until Apple invented them?
Galaxy Z Flip folding phone.Zana Latif / Unsplash
The good news is an Applefolding phone is under development.
“If Apple introduces a folding iPhone, it could indeed be a game-changer.
Apple’s strong brand loyalty and design prowess have historically driven industry-wide shifts.
Motorola RAZR 2023.Motorola
iPhone Moment
Apple invented pretty much all of modern computing.
Motorola
Before the Mac, there were personal computers, and before the PowerBook, there were portable computers.
There were even plenty of touch-screen phones before the iPhone.
It’s just that when Apple entered the fray, it instantly defined that category.
The designs were so good that they seemed obvious and inevitable and became the default.
So it might be that the folding phone is waiting for its iPhone moment.
Samsung, Google, and others are making folding phones, and they’re actually getting pretty good.
We evencalled Motorola’s 2023 RAZRthe “first cool folding phone.”
Butthey’re still not there yet.
Then Microsoft boss Steve Balmergave a keynote that year, which was particularly slate-heavy.
Apple’s Folding Phone Potential
So what will Apple bring to the folding phone game?
It’s more about what it won’t bring.
They are also trying to be everything.
But the possibilities could be huge.
“Despite their current flaws, folding phones hold immense potential.
The iPhone, for example, forewent the until-then essential hardware keyboard in favor of an all-screen design.
Right now, folding phones are still a novelty.
You might buy one because it seems neat,like the RAZR.
Or maybe your local phone store has a good deal on theSamsung Galaxy Flip5orGalaxy Fold5.
Despite their current flaws, folding phones hold immense potential.
“To make folding phones truly popular, several factors need to be addressed.
Firstly, further improvements in durability and reliability are essential to gain consumer trust.
And Apple will bring another essential to the folding phone market:iOS.
