2026 will be a turbulent year for Apple’s portfolio, but one of the most highly anticipated products is the upcoming foldable iPhone. According to rumors, it will be launched in the fall season of this year along with the iPhone 18 series. It would be the first time that Apple would venture into the foldable phone segment, where Samsung is currently at the forefront.
A surprising shift
However, it seems that Apple is working on an even more ambitious idea that will be easier to put in your pocket and may be more pocket-friendly too. We’re talking about a clamshell-style foldable iPhone that would challenge, for example, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola’s Razr series.
“Now another foldable device is being considered in Apple’s labs (and given what Motorola and Samsung Electronics Co. have already done, it won’t be a surprise): a square, clamshell-style foldable phone,” says a report from Bloomberg. This is the first we’ve heard of such a device, although the outlet warns that it could be canned or delayed.
So far, Samsung, Motorola and Chinese labels like Honor and Xiaomi have brought clamshell-style foldable phones to shelves. Given the strong competition, Samsung has even added a cheaper “Fan Edition” model, also called the FE model, to its Galaxy Z Flip series.
What awaits you?
Motorola, on the other hand, offers its foldable phones in different flavors and different price ranges. Huawei, on the other hand, has even experimented with a vertically foldable, but still quite handy format called Pura X.
Now the report that Apple may be making a clamshell-style foldable phone will send shockwaves through the market. However, a lot is riding on the success of Apple’s first book-style foldable phone set, which launches later this year.
Apple is said to have already solved the crease issue on its upcoming phone, and it would be interesting to see if this display innovation eventually makes its way to a clamshell-style foldable iPhone.
When exactly will the “iPhone Flip” be released? This is not yet known as the project is still in the early stages of development. But it certainly looks like Apple’s hardware team is getting back to its experimental ways.
