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As I’m sure you’ve already heard, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has almost reached the 7-inch mental barrier of how large a smartphone display can be… And something’s telling me that this is where Apple is going to have to draw the line.
With a 6.9-inch panel on the 16 Pro Max (which means the phone itself is actually larger than 7 inches), the next super-large iPhone better be a foldable… I say!
It’s becoming harder to deny that the 7-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max is now reaching the point of diminishing returns - especially for the way iOS works on the iPhone.
Namely, we have a huge display on the iPhone 16 Pro Max with no real ability to multitask with two apps side by side, which given the tremendous power of the A18 Pro chip, is more disappointing than ever before.
Like why can’t I have Skyscanner and my Calendar/Calculator open at the same time so I can easily plan my flights, Apple?! Or is booking flights supposed to be a “laptop” activity? As the meme goes…
Apple’s reluctance to give the huge display of the iPhone 16 Pro Max multitasking capabilities might be the biggest hint that a foldable iPhone is in the works
The 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max dwarfs the 6.3-inch Pro model.
Apple is notorious for holding back from bringing new features to the iPhone unless they are ready and/or better than the equivalent features on Android. Well, save for the iPhone’s AI Clean Up tool, which is clearly worse than Google’s Magic Eraser.
However, Apple’s willingness to hold off and decide not to turn the conventional large iPhone into a multitasking phone, is telling me that Cupertino wants to save this for the first foldable iPhone.
This is right up Apple’s lane since Tim Cook & Co know how to space out updates to leave iPhone users wanting more, while giving them just enough to make them stay and keep coming back to iPhone.
Using Pixel 9 Pro Fold and iPhone 15 Pro Max has convinced me the iPhone should stop getting larger - unless it folds
This is getting close.
I’ve been using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for a few weeks alongside the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and I already see the benefits of the foldable design, which gives you more screen to view content like text, photos, and videos - that’s useful for my job.
Meanwhile, the benefit of having a smaller 6.3-inch primary screen over a huge 6.9-inches is more than real since I can use the phone with one hand at any given point - something that’s impossible with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and let alone the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
For example, I just used the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to request a courier pick-up where I had to fill up a bunch of information, and I had Chrome and Slack opened side-by-side, which made copying the details from Slack onto the browser a much faster and less annoying process than having to go back and forth between the two apps - like on iPhone.
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iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max - the 0.2 inches make a difference after all - especially in your pants... What?!
But going back to my initial point, I think this might be the very reason Apple is holding back from giving the iPhone 16 Pro Max real multitasking abilities.
Having two (or three) apps running side by side on the 8-inch screen of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold works great - it’s basically like having two regular phones in one.
However, if I was to perform the same task on the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s screen, the experience wouldn’t be nearly as good. For example, trying to type while having two apps running side-by-side means half of your screen (and the entire second app) would have to give space to the keyboard.
So, I can see why Apple would like to avoid giving iPhone users an underbaked experience. Then again, do I still want to have the option to run two apps side by side on my iPhone? Absolutely. I’d gladly deal with the imperfect experience to gain the convenience.
And perhaps Apple's ultimate idea is to give “iPhone Fold” unique multitasking capabilities and even its own operating system, which would further separate it from the regular iPhone. Let’s see if my educated guess turns out to be true!
If Apple’s goal is to make the best folding phone and folding phone OS on the market, “iPhone Fold” might be worth the wait
All in all, I hope Apple is done with making the iPhone display larger. That’s where we should draw the line and start exploring different form factors.
I’m looking forward to Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which should be the logical step up from the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max.
But this doesn’t mean the foldable iPhone is coming next year. In fact, it’s pretty much certain Apple will take at least another couple of years before giving us an iPhone Fold that can multitask…
But if the idea is to make the absolutely best folding phone and folding phone OS on the market, I think the wait might be worth it.
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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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