The foldable phone market, although not entirely mainstream just yet, has evolved quite a lot in the last couple of years. We even have the world's first tri-fold smartphone, the Huawei Mate XT. Now, reputable display analyst Ross Young is hinting Apple's first foldable may come in the book-style form factor.
As all Apple fans know, Apple is yet to join the foldable market. So far, we've not seen a foldable iPhone or iPad, although there have been rumors about Apple's take on foldables at least in the past year or two. Previous rumors indicated Apple may launch a Flip-like iPhone in 2026... but this may not turn out to be true.
Ross Young published on X a press release by DSCC on the foldable market. The press release discussed the future of the foldable market. Curiously enough, the press release's comment section on X is the place to discover a few interesting things: as Young was answering some of the questions there.
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One specific question by user @mikebbroyles on X caught the analyst's attention. The user was curious if Apple would join the foldable market, and what would be the first foldable device form-factor. To that, Young answered "Fold", which indicates we're talking about a book-style foldable phone similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
This is the reply to the DSCC report post on X. | Screenshot Credit - PhoneArena
This could mean that in 2026, probably towards the second half of the year, we may see an Apple foldable iPhone in a book-style form factor. Unfortunately for some, this means we're not likely to see an iPhone Flip (I'm on that team), or at least, it won't be the first foldable by the Cupertino company.
If Apple were to indeed go for a book-style foldable iPhone, it seems likely it would use iPadOS as the operating system to power it. iPadOS offers smooth software and multitasking experience for iPads, so it may be suitable for a phone that, unfolded, would be similar to an iPad in a lot of ways. iOS would make more sense if Apple is going for an iPhone Flip.
Of course, none of this is official yet, and Apple has not announced plans for a foldable iPhone. We'll have to wait to know more.
However, I would rather have an iPhone Flip than an iPhone Fold - I find a Flip-form factor more suitable for a phone, especially since I already have an iPad and would appreciate the portability and compactness of a Flip iPhone. But that's just me. And it's too early to know for sure anyway.
Would you like a Flip iPhone or a Fold iPhone?
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Iskra Petrova is a news writer at PhoneArena, where she covers mobile tech news and maintains the site’s device hubs with the latest leaked specs, rumors, and official details for upcoming phones. She joined PhoneArena in 2020 after three years in technical support for Microsoft Exchange, giving her practical experience with software infrastructure and troubleshooting. Iskra holds a Master’s Degree in Literature, which helps her translate complex tech details into clear, reader-friendly coverage. She is a daily Apple ecosystem user, while also closely following Sony Xperia’s camera-focused phones and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.
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