While a giant foldable iPad is being prepared for 2028, Apple will finally release its folding iPhone in 2026, with the difficult task of revitalizing the folding smartphone market, considered moribund by multiple analysts.
The Wall Street Journal got its hands on some interesting information concerning this Arlesian from Tech and confirms the internal desire for a release in 2026.
As a reminder, Apple would turn to a clamshell format for its folding device, that is to say that of a smartphone with classic dimensions, but which would fold in the middle like a wallet or compact.
Bigger than its model, and even bigger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max
According to the publication, the folding iPhone would have a larger screen than that of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, although equipped with a comfortable 6.9-inch panel. This suggests that it would reach at least 7 inches diagonally. For information, the current Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a 6.7-inch screen.
The problem with this information is: we are missing the screen ratio. Indeed, the size in inches alone does not really allow you to know the size of the screen. Flip smartphones tend to adopt a more elongated ratio, around 21:9, or even 22:9. The result is a larger screen, certainly, but not well suited to modern video formats. A longer screen is also often less practical to use.
Reconnect with innovation
As indicated above, several executives are reportedly pushing internally for a release from 2026, even if technically Apple could ultimately wait until 2027 to refine its copy. The Californians have in fact been working for many years to improve the hinge as well as the rendering of the fold, in order to make it as imperceptible as possible. Let’s add the performance and autonomy concerns caused by flip smartphones, which must be adjusted to match Apple’s standards in this area.
This rush towards the iFlip or the iPhone Flip can be explained by a simple fact: the last very good sale of the iPhone dates back to 2021, with the launch of the iPhone 13. As we highlighted in our own tests of the iPhone 16, the Apple brand does not offer sufficient innovations to justify moving to the new model.
To wait until 2026, Apple could pull two new models out of its hat, the iPhone 17 Air, a thinner version of its smartphone equipped with a single photo module, as well as an iPhone SE 4, also more simple. Two models that could allow the company to achieve volume.
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