Phone manufacturers are watching Apple with bated breath to see how the foldable iPhone performs

As Apple is finally entering the foldable smartphone market this year with the foldable iPhone Ultra, the industry is reportedly watching with bated breath. If Apple’s different take on foldable flagships sells well, then there could suddenly be a flood of similar-looking smartphones hitting shelves next year.

Manufacturers watching Apple

According to some insight (translated source) by a reliable insider with ties to the supply chain, other phone manufacturers are waiting to see how the foldable iPhone Ultra performs.

Huawei has already released the Pura X Max to compete, and Samsung will reveal its wide-folding Galaxy Z Fold 8 next month. However, for smaller manufacturers, the investment is a bit riskier if results are not guaranteed.

Not too difficult, but still risky

According to the source, it’s not too difficult to switch from the traditional foldable phone layout to the wide-folding form factor. The technology is there and it’s relatively simple to adapt.

However, if you’re not a major player like Apple, Samsung, or Huawei, it’s not worth the investment lest the general public not like the new design. That said, the Huawei Pura X Max has sold quite well since launch, and there’s a good chance that this will also be the case for the iPhone Ultra.

A plethora of choices after the foldable iPhone

If the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the foldable iPhone Ultra sell well, then the market will promptly be flooded with half a dozen other wide-folding smartphones. The foldable market will see a resurgence in popularity just because there would be something new to try.

If nothing else, the foldable iPhone might provide more options even to customers who aren’t Apple users. It all depends on how well this new form factor performs.

We’re definitely seeing more

While I personally am still not sold on the layout of the iPhone Ultra — it’s just too stubby when folded — I do think that it will sell exceptionally well simply because of what it is. People have waited far too long for Apple to release a foldable.

So we can expect at least a couple more wide-folding phones to come out next year, if I had to guess.

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