Apple Engineers Are Not Satisfied With The iPhone Fold’s Design, As It Matches What’s Already On The Market; Launch Slated For 2026 With Crease-Free Display And Thinner Profile
Apple is finally preparing to enter the foldable market with its first iPhone Fold reportedly planned for a 2026 launch at the earliest. The company is actively developing a book-style foldable iPhone that will compete against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. This will mark a significant step for the iPhone maker as it explores a completely new form factor and aims to redefine the foldable smartphone experience. The company could potentially introduce features and utilities that are capped by the screen real estate of the current models, including split view.
Apple aims to outdo Samsung with a more durable, thinner, and crease-free iPhone Fold, but challenges push launch to 2026
Samsung is already well ahead in the foldable category as it has released several generations of its Galaxy Z Fold models, but Apple has taken a much more cautious approach. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes in his latest Power On newsletter that Apple’s internal comparisons show that the company is targeting a design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold, a device that opens like a book to reveal a larger display inside. However, the company’s engineers are not satisfied with the iPhone Fold’s design, as it simply matches what is already available on the market. While the technology giant wants to make the device thinner and more durable than Samsung’s offering, the general design language will remain the same.
One of the biggest hiccups the company is facing is the presence of the crease in the display, which has also been a common complaint on foldables since their debut years ago. Apple wants its device to have minimal or no crease at all, which potentially became the reason for its delayed launch, while Samsung has released a fair share of annual upgrades. The foldable iPhone faced quite a bit of engineering challenges to manufacture a device that is both slim and sturdy, while not having a crease on the display. All of these factors combined have caused Apple to slip the launch beyond the projected dates.
Gurman says that 2026 remains the earliest time frame for the foldable iPhone to see daylight. Considering the company’s high-quality standards, it is not surprising to see that it is taking its time for the technology to advance before introducing it to the public. We are already familiar that Apple’s entry into the foldable market will set new standards for the category, especially if it succeeds in offering a thinner device with a crease-free experience. All eyes will be on Apple to see if it can raise the bar and make foldable iPhones more practical compared to what they are right now. More importantly, it also remains to be seen if the device will become a mainstream product for the masses.
