iPhone 16 Flip – Is This the Ultimate Device You’ve Been Waiting?

For a long time, people have been talking about the iPhone Flip, a phone that can bend. But we still need to find out if it will ever come out. While Apple hasn’t said anything yet, other companies like Samsung, Google, Motorola, and OnePlus make phones that fold. Even though you can buy the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and there’s an iPhone 16 coming soon, we’re still determining if the iPhone Flip will be released in 2024. Apple might release a folding iPad before a folding iPhone.

This article talks about all the rumors we’ve heard about the iPhone Flip. We hope to update it with accurate information.

iPhone Flip Release Date Speculation

The iPhone Flip and iOS 18 might not come out in 2024 like some people thought. Experts have different opinions on when it could be released. It may not be until 2025 or even 2027. Also, Apple might focus on improving iPads and Macs before making a foldable phone. A recent report suggests that Apple is working on foldable devices, but they’re still in the early stages and will be ready for mass production sometime soon.

iPhone Flip Display

Ming-Chi Kuo says the first foldable iPhone might have a big 8-inch screen, more extensive than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 and almost as big as the iPad mini’s 8.3-inch screen. Another report says Apple might work with LG on a 7.5-inch foldable screen.

But there’s more—Kuo also says Apple is testing an even bigger 9-inch foldable screen. This would be bigger than any foldable phone out there.

Kuo also mentioned that Apple is considering using color-ink screens to display outside foldables. These screens don’t use as much battery but aren’t as fancy as regular screens.

In an exciting twist, a patent suggests that if you drop the iPhone Flip, its hinge might start to close to protect it. This could stop the screen from getting damaged when it hits the ground.

iPhone Flip Design: What will it look like?

According to Jon Prosser, Apple has been testing two types of iPhone Flip: one that unfolds like a book, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold or Google’s Pixel Fold, and another that flips open like a clamshell, identical to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip.

Sources say Apple is leaning towards the clamshell design, but it’s still early, and plans could change.

Patent filings also show that Apple is considering different designs for its foldable phones, apart from the clamshell style.

In 2020, Apple patented a feature called “joint operating mode.” This feature lets you connect a second screen to your device using magnets. The idea is that both screens can work together, making one ample space. This differs from the concept of a single foldable screen like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold. It’s more like the Microsoft Surface Duo 2, which has two separate screens.

Another patent, filed in 2018 and found by PatentlyApple, shows a device with a flexible screen that folds but leaves a small part at the bottom open for notifications, like the Touch Bar on some MacBooks.

Before 2020, Apple had other ideas for foldable devices, like one with three folds. Even in 2016, there was a patent for a phone that folds vertically, like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Motorola Razr.

Apple also has patents for strong foldable screens and screens with unique flexible parts. These patents don’t say if it’s for a phone or tablet so Apple might be thinking about both.

Designers make concepts of what the iPhone Flip/Fold might look like. One design on YouTube looks a lot like the Galaxy Z Flip but with some changes. It’s a design that Apple could release with some improvements.

LetsGoDigital made a concept design for the iPhone Flip with a smaller notch and a screen on the outside showing information when the phone is closed.

Concepts iPhone also made a video showing what an iPhone Flip could look like. It’s similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip. It has a smaller notch than the iPhone 14, a fast 120Hz screen, and a fingerprint sensor on the net. The concept also says it has an M1 chip, which is a stretch, but Apple is using M1 chips in iPads so they may use them in phones, too.

Designer Antonio De Rosa shared images of a foldable iPhone on Twitter. It has features like the Galaxy Z Flip, such as a screen on the outside for notifications. But it also keeps iPhone features like flat edges and an excellent camera. It doesn’t have a notch or Dynamic Island, rumored to be a future iPhone change.

Another good design for the iPhone Flip comes from 4RMD. It’s like a flip phone with a big 6.8-inch screen when it’s open. Like the Galaxy Z Flip, it has an outside screen for notifications.

When Apple makes its first foldable iPhone, it might need help from other companies. For the past three years, there have been rumors that Apple talked to both LG and Samsung about getting flexible screens for the new phone. In March 2019, Korean media reported that Samsung sent Apple some screen samples to check out.

But what if Apple doesn’t use a flexible screen for their first foldable iPhone? Instead, they might use two separate screens, like the Surface Duo. This idea comes from Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech. He says Apple has tested this design. The phone would still look like the rounded iPhone 11 but with a hinge in the middle. When you open it up, the two screens will come together smoothly.

If you want to see more than just computer images of the foldable iPhone, check out this real-life concept from Technology Aesthetics. They made a real “iPhone V” using parts from iPhones and a Motorola Razr. But it has a lot of problems, which shows how hard it is to make folding phones.

iPhone Flip: Durability

In October 2020, a patent hinted that the iPhone Flip might have a special ceramic shield designed for its flexible screen. This shield would have four layers to make the screen strong. Some people also think the net can fix minor scratches.

We’re still determining if Apple will make this phone, but there are different ideas about how it might work. It could have a screen that folds in the middle without getting damaged. This design could help the screen last longer. The Galaxy Z Flip already has a similar design.

Apple also has a patent about making the iPhone Flip’s screen harder to break.

As for the price of the iPhone Flip, it’s hard to say. Foldable phones can be expensive. The Galaxy Fold started at almost $2,000. But the Galaxy Z Flip, smaller and cheaper, was $600 less. If Apple makes a smaller, cheaper foldable, it might not cost much more than their other phones. But if it’s more like a tablet that can fold into a phone, it could be expensive, even more than $2,000.

iPhone Flip: Software

If Apple makes a foldable iPhone, it would likely use the iOS operating system. But they might adjust it to work better with the folding screen.

One thing we hope they improve is multitasking. Right now, you can switch between apps easily on iPhones, but you can’t use two apps simultaneously like on iPads or Android phones. This would be a missed opportunity for a foldable iPhone.

iPhone Flip: Could It Be a Rollable Instead?

Apple might not make a folding iPhone but a rolling one instead. Some patents show that Apple is thinking about making a phone that can roll up part of its screen inside the device until you need it.

This is the only company that has made a rolling phone, but Apple could do it if they wanted to. We still think they’ll make a folding iPhone first, but it’s interesting to see Apple exploring different ideas for their phones.

iPhone Flip: The Competition

If the iPhone Flip doesn’t come out this year or next, Apple’s competitors will have a big head start in the foldable phone market. Samsung already has five versions of the Galaxy Z Fold and a new Galaxy Z Flip.

In 2023, Google released the Pixel Fold, which competes with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It costs $1,799 and has a 7.6-inch screen and a powerful Tensor G2 chipset. Our review of the Pixel Fold found some good things about it and some problems.

Also, in 2023, OnePlus came out with the OnePlus Open, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold. We compared it to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and found it a strong competitor. Motorola also released the Motorola Razr+ and the standard Motorola Razr, making foldable phones more affordable at $699.

The foldable phone market has dramatically changed, but iPhone Flip rumors have been slow in 2024. However, Apple usually takes time to launch new products. They prefer to wait until they can fix any problems with existing devices. They might do the same with the iPhone Flip.

The nearly 7-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max should be a Galaxy Z Flip competitor, Apple.

Apple could solve this problem by improving iOS 18 to make it easier to use with one hand. However, rumors suggest the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have an even bigger 6.9-inch screen than the 15 Pro Max. This might mean the only solution is to make the largest iPhone foldable.

This change would be good because I like the big screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max for watching videos and browsing, but I don’t like carrying around a heavy phone. I used to have the iPhone 13 mini, which fits easily in my pocket. A folding iPhone would give me the best of both worlds—big when I need it, small when I don’t.

The rumored iPhone 16 Pro Max screen will be almost 7 inches, as big as a small tablet. I want to carry a manageable phone in my pocket, especially once I add a screen protector and a case like most people do.

What would it take to get Apple to enter the foldable market, or is the iPhone Fold a lost cause?

So, if a folding iPhone is a good idea, and I’d probably buy one, what does it take for Apple to consider making one? Well, there’s little we (you and I) can do…

Some Android phone makers talk to users on social media and ask them what they want on their phones. Examples are Nothing and OnePlus. Then, there are more significant Android phone makers who might not talk directly to customers but still listen to their feedback and sometimes give them what they want. But Apple doesn’t do that.

Let me clarify – I’m not saying Apple never listens to what users want, but even when they do, it’s not usually because of tweets, Reddit posts, or articles on PhoneArena.

Apple has a long-term plan that they stick to, led by Tim Cook & Co. They usually stick to their world and way of doing things.

So, what would make Apple enter the folding phone market? Probably a few things:

More people want folding phones, so Apple sees a demand for them. But some might argue that if Apple made a folding iPhone, it would be more popular than other foldables.

Social media and reporters often discuss folding phones, especially at Apple events. This alone might not change Apple’s mind, but it could make a difference if everything else lines up.

Fewer people are buying regular iPhones. If fewer people upgrade yearly, Apple might consider making something more exciting instead of selling the same old iPhones for a high price.

iPhone Flip Outlook

We still need to learn more about Apple’s plans for a foldable iPhone, but one thing is clear: Apple’s approach to making their first foldable phone will probably shape how other companies construct theirs.

Samsung was the first to make a foldable phone with the Galaxy Fold, but they’re still trying different designs to see what people like.

Apple often sets trends in the mobile industry. They removed the headphone jack, made phones with smaller borders, and popularized the notch. The iPhone 12 also introduced a lot of people to 5G.

The future of foldable phones and the whole smartphone industry depends significantly on what Apple does with its foldable iPhone.

Conclusion

Lastly, if Apple decides to make a foldable phone (and we are curious if they will), Tim Cook & Co. will probably wait for the right moment, as always. They might be waiting for the technology to be perfect so they can come out with a foldable iPhone that’s better than anything else. We’ve seen them do this before with other products.

There may be a way to make a folding phone with two pieces of glass that combine to make one big screen, like the Surface Duo, but without the gap in the middle.

But is Apple just waiting for the right moment to make a foldable phone, or do they want to avoid making one? I don’t know. But I do know that many people would want a folding iPhone, and I think Apple knows that, too. When the technology is ready, Apple will be prepared to try making a folding phone, starting with a folding iPad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the iPhone 16 Flip have a foldable screen?

The iPhone 16 probably won’t fold. However, there are exciting rumors that Apple is working on two different sizes of a folding iPhone called the iPhone Flip. Apple is facing challenges in making these devices meet their high standards, but the idea of a folding iPhone is still very intriguing.

Will the iPhone 16 Flip support 5G connectivity?

Yes, the iPhone 16 Flip is expected to support 5G connectivity.