4 things Apple needs to get right

Key Takeaways

A folding iPhone from Apple might debut in 2026 or 2027.
A clamshell design could be more desirable due to the lower price point.
Apple needs to focus on durability, creaseless screens, and customizable external displays to propel the foldable industry forward.

It’s no secret, at this stage, that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone. There’s always a chance it could abandon the project, but given numerous rumors and the fact that rivals like Samsung have produced many foldables of their own, it’d be strange if we didn’t see a folding iPhone in 2026 or 2027. Apple is rarely the first in a product category, but it doesn’t like competitors running roughshod over it, either.

Given how late Apple is to the foldable category, expectations are going to be sky-high. There are a number of things I’d like to see in a folding iPhone myself — some probably a first in the industry. Check back in a few years, and you’ll see how realistic I was.

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1 A clamshell design, not a mini-tablet

Keeping price in the stratosphere

Galaxy Z Flip 6 on a desk

Tri-folds aside, there are essentially two types of foldable phones at the moment: clamshells and books, the second unfolding into a tablet form factor. I’m a fan of both. In fact, I could easily see Apple making a book-style foldable at some point, as long as it doesn’t cannibalize iPad sales.

The cost of a book-style foldable iPhone might be astronomical.

In the short-term, however, I think a clamshell is more desirable for iPhone shoppers. The main reason is price — many book-style foldables, like the OnePlus Open, start at around $1,700 before any discounts, and can sometimes cost upwards of $2,000 when they’re fully upgraded. That’s on par with a desktop gaming PC, or a 13-inch, 1 or 2TB iPad Pro. Apple already charges upwards of $1,000 for the non-folding iPhone 16 Pro, so the cost of a book-style iPhone could be astronomical.

An iPhone XR, 6, 5S, and original in a fanning position on the grass.

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I think clamshells are also preferable in terms of size. Book foldables tend to be both tall and thick when they’re closed, whereas clamshells are only thick, often better than conventional smartphones at fitting into pockets and bags. That’s probably more important to people than carrying a tablet at all times. It’s not like we’d be stuck with a small display, either — the smallest screen on 2024 iPhones is the 6.1-inch panel on the iPhone 16, and it’s more likely Apple would want to compete with Samsung’s 6.7-inch Galaxy Z Flip.

2 A fully dust- and waterproof design

A phone built for more than just the office

Sega

Beyond price, the major weakness of foldables so far has been durability. While they’re now often water-resistant, they remain vulnerable to dust, due to the way their hinges are typically designed. If dust slips through, it can potentially wreck a phone’s display from the inside out.

If Apple can solve the dustproofing problem, it’ll revolutionize the foldable industry, justifying a late entry into the market. Really, someone has to solve it for foldables to become dependable outside our homes and offices. Some progress is already being made in that area — the Z Flip 6, for example, has an IP48 rating. It’s not truly dustproof, but it should survive a trip to the beach.

A man in a lake shoots photos with a Nokia XR21.

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3 A screen that’s tough and creaseless

The holy grail of foldable design?

Speaking of durability, many people aren’t a fan of the screen materials we’ve had to date. Since foldable screens need to be flexible, they’re naturally made of softer, more vulnerable materials. Scratch and drop resistance is improving, but I’d still feel safer carrying an iPhone 16 than I would Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Hopefully, Apple is aiming to close the gap.

Some users also dislike the texture of foldable displays, and/or the creases that remain even when a phone is fully unfolded. Those feelings tend not to last long, but Apple would score a coup if it could make a creaseless iPhone that feels just as slick as any flat glass.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold changed how I feel about book-style foldables

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4 A fully customizable external display

Unique looks and information for each person

If Apple is pursuing a clamshell design, as rumored, that almost certainly means a small external display for some basic functions, like checking the time and controlling music playback. But how it handles this could make or break the phone — no one wants to deal with a convoluted interface, or one that can’t be personalized very much. That defeats the convenience (and visual appeal) an external screen is supposed to provide.

How Apple handles the front screen could make or break the phone.

I want to be able to prioritize what appears. Presumably, we’ll get the same sort of widgets already found on iPhone homescreens, but those might need to be better tailored for foldables, with new dimensional options and more interactivity. An Apple Music widget, for example, should let me switch from current track info to browsing my saved playlists. A clock widget should offer font, color, and wallpaper options.

I’m particularly concerned about checking notifications, though. One of the advantages of my Apple Watch is the ability to browse, clear, and occasionally respond to notifications without unlocking my iPhone, so I’m expecting similar or better functionality on a larger display.

The ability to hold entire Messages conversations on a foldable’s front screen would no doubt be popular.