Apple flips for foldable phones

The Future. Apple is working on a foldable phone that could come out as soon as 2026. It would be one of the biggest design changes to Apple’s best-selling smartphone. But in order to avoid the same muted commercial reaction as the Vision Pro, watch for the tech giant to ensure the future foldable iPhone has one mainstream killer application that makes it a must-have device.

Flip for it?
Apple is folding to Gen Z trends.

• Apple all but confirmed it’s working on the new phone, which is officially in development with suppliers under the code name “V68.”
• An iPhone typically takes two years to manufacture from start to finish, which means customers could get their hands on one in 2026 at the earliest.
• That’s only if the project isn’t pushed or canceled altogether (typical of Apple), especially as engineers have struggled with removing the crease on the screen when opened.
• Additionally, designers have said that the phone should be as thin as a typical iPhone when folded — something that’s now possible with the announcement of an ultra-thin iPhone that’s releasing next year.

The proposed phone will “fold widthwise like a clamshell,” according to The Information, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip, which has been a hit with users.

Why the interest in flip and foldable phones? Young people are increasingly falling for them. Last year, online searches for flip phones among Gen Zers and younger millennials were up 15,369% from the year prior.