For years, rumors about the iPhone Flip floating throughout the smartphone community have existed. Unfortunately, we have yet to receive any indication as to when or if such a phone will appear. The rumors that an iPhone Flip will launch in 2024 are not confirmed, as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are already available for purchase, and the iPhone 16 models will be released later this year. It’s been suggested by many Apple watchers that a foldable iPad will probably hit the market before a phone does.
iPhone Flip Release Date Rumours
Although a 2024 release seems doubtful based on the most recent rumors, the iPhone Flip’s launch date is still in the air. Not always has that been the case. Display researcher Ross Young, who has a reputation for providing accurate suggestions, had speculated that a foldable iPhone might be released in 2024 after 2023 passed with no announcement of an iPhone Flip. However, a report by Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that a foldable iPhone would not be released until 2025. Ben Wood, another expert, thinks we’ll at least see a foldable iPad before then.
According to insiders from Samsung Display in Korea, Apple may not release its first foldable device until 2027, and it might not even be a phone. Analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities has added to the theory, speculating that Apple will release a 20.3-inch foldable gadget in late 2025. It is expected to be either a tablet or a computer, with a phone model to follow in 2026. Some analysts have grown weary of the uncertainty around the shape and release date of the iPhone Flip and have concluded that a foldable iPhone may never materialize. However, there may still be hope because the same Digitimes article that discussed the pessimism also suggests that Apple may redistribute some of the resources from its Vision Pro headset to support a foldable device.
The Information reports on Apple’s development of foldable devices. Similar to past reports, it suggests that the company’s initial priority might be a foldable iPad. More importantly, the article states that prototypes are not intended for mass production this year or next; rather, they are in the early stages of development.
Specifications of the iPhone Flip
Ming-Chi Kuo said the first foldable iPhone would have an enormous 8-inch display. That would be bigger than the 7.6-inch display that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 delivers when it is unfolded, and it would also be almost as big as the 8.3-inch iPad mini.
Concepts iPhone released a concept video for the iPhone Flip, which resembles an Appleized version of the Galaxy Z Flip. Compared to the iPhone 14, it has a smaller notch, a 120Hz screen, and an in-screen Touch ID sensor.
Although it seems a bit unrealistic, the phone’s concept design includes an M1 chip. Since Apple now utilizes this silicon in the iPad Pro and iPad Air, this chip may ultimately be used in a high-end phone instead of the more common A-series chips.
What would the pricing of an iPhone Flip be?
This is the most complex issue to answer since, in addition to the fact that price has never been mentioned in the few foldable iPhone rumors that exist (yet another indication that the iPhone Flip will launch later rather than sooner), the cost of the smartphone will primarily depend on Apple’s approach to design.
Remember that the Galaxy Fold, which retailed for $1,980 at launch, had a modest 4.6-inch panel on the outside and an unfurled 7.3-inch tablet-like display. Six months later, for $600 less, the Galaxy Z Flip was produced, with a 6.7-inch screen that was more vertically oriented and encased in Ultra-Thin Glass for enhanced durability. With the most recent Galaxy foldable, the Z Fold 4, costing $1,799 at launch, and the Z Flip 4, just $999, the pricing differential has remained the same.
Should Apple choose a more affordable and smaller foldable, the phone’s cost might not be that dissimilar from that of high-end devices like the $1,199 iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, it’s feasible that the foldable iPhone may cost more than Apple’s more traditional smartphones—possibly even beyond the feared $2,000 mark—if it’s meant to function as a phone that can transform into a tablet when necessary, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
