The iPhone Fold may be doomed to flop, and it has nothing to do with Samsung

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By Ilia Temelkov

Published: Dec 20, 2025, 6:09 PM

This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

A render of the rumored iPhone Fold design.

The iPhone Fold is easily the most anticipated phone of 2026. After all, it’s not a common thing for Apple to launch an iPhone with a brand-new form factor. The hype is so strong that analysts are forecasting its sales will be good enough to propel the entire foldable market.

Fans are excited to see what Apple’s take on the already familiar foldable design will be and are right to expect something unusual. According to recently leaked CAD images and a render of the phone, the iPhone Fold will be unlike any current foldable.

Instead of a tall external and a square internal screen, the iPhone Fold may feature a small outside display that opens to an internal screen, which is noticeably wider than tall. As different as that undoubtedly sounds, it may be what turns the iPhone Fold into a flop even worse than those of the iPhone mini and the iPhone Air.

What is a successful foldable?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 next to the Honor Magic V2. | Image credit – PhoneArena

The first widely available book-style foldable that felt like something more than a gimmicky concept for eager early adopters was probably the Google Pixel Fold. What made it stand out from the pioneering Galaxy Z Fold series, and Galaxy Z Fold 4, specifically, was the external display.

Until then, Samsung’s external displays were awkwardly narrow. That made using them uncomfortable, especially if you needed to type on a tiny on-screen keyboard.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 next to the first Pixel Fold. | Image credit – PhoneArena

Like the Huawei Mate X2 before it, the Pixel Fold had a cover display that looked more like a “normal” smartphone. With an aspect ratio of about 17.5:9, it was wider than any outer display before it, making it feel familiar and much more comfortable.

The next big step for foldables was the Galaxy Z Fold 7. That was the first widely available foldable, including in the US, which combined an external display, similar to what you can see on a slab phone, with a very thin body. Just like the Honor Magic V5 before it, the Z Fold 7 felt like a normal phone when folded, but it could also unfold.

The CAD drawings of the iPhone Fold reveal its dimensions in detail. | Image credit – iPhone-ticker.de

Of course, several Chinese companies pushed the foldable market forward while Samsung and Google were lagging in the comfort of closed markets. Oppo, Huawei, and Honor could probably enjoy greater success if they had the reach of Samsung. As it turns out, what makes a foldable successful is the combination of a design that resembles a slab phone when folded and wide availability at a good price. That’s why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a global success, and Huawei dominates the Chinese foldable market.

Apple knows the taste of failure

The iPhone Fold is Apple's latest flop. | Image credit – PhoneArena

What people don’t seem to like are phones that are either small or thin. Apple has learned that the hard way. As much as the online discourse circles back to lamenting the death of the small smartphones, very few people want to buy such phones.

The iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini were among the worst-selling iPhones in history. Some could argue the reason was that they were not good, but I can’t agree. If it were about the specs, there would’ve been Android devices like the 5.9-inch Asus Zenfone 10. Instead, Asus switched to a 6.8-inch display for the Zenfone 11 Ultra, and virtually all phones have at least 6.1-inch displays.

Would you buy an iPhone Fold if it has the rumored small and wide cover display?

Yes, I want a small phone Maybe, if it looks good Only if it’s at a good price No way, I don’t want such a small phone

Apple also followed Samsung’s failure with the ultra-slim phone concept. Just like the Galaxy S25 Edge, the iPhone Air turned into an embarrassing flop. Some may say it’s because of the small battery or the high price. I’d say it’s because people prefer to buy “normal” phones.

That could be another flop

“Normal” is the last word I would use to describe the iPhone Fold, especially if it looks like the leaked design. In fact, Apple’s plan appears to combine several things the market has already shown it doesn’t accept.

First, it’s the fact that it folds. As cool as those devices look, they still account for a tiny part of the smartphone market. Second, it’s small. We’ve seen that even if they say they want something else, people buy large phones. Third, it’s the unusual shape. There’s a reason all smartphones look more or less the same, and straying away from that hasn’t been successful.

We’re still months away from the iPhone Fold premiere, and there could be various details we don’t know about. I wouldn’t pronounce the death of an unannounced product, but unless Apple has wildly different plans from what the rumors are saying, that might be another flop for the company. And this one could hurt even more than before.

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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.

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