Apple is reportedly engaged on its first foldable iPhone, placing the corporate head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable telephones since 2019, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold in 2023.
Bloomberg managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy rate on the subject of Apple rumors, reported on Sunday that Apple will enter the foldable telephone market within the latter half of 2026.
With merchandise just like the iPhone and Apple Watch, Apple entered every market early and helped form what the mainstream model of the product would appear like.
With the foldable iPhone, Apple will take a distinct method, utilizing what works for Samsung as a substitute of making a dramatically new interface or creating progressive {hardware}. Gurman reported that Apple’s gadget will look just like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line and incorporate lots of the identical elements, together with foldable OLED screens.
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Apple will nonetheless purpose to enhance elements of Samsung’s design, tackling the weaknesses of foldable gadgets just like the seen interior show crease and the interior hinge mechanism. The iPhone maker may also introduce new software program options subsequent yr, particularly designed for foldable telephones.
The worth level of an Apple foldable telephone will likely be no less than $2,000, Gurman studies, which has similarities to choices from Samsung and Google. Samsung’s newest Z Fold 7 is priced at $1,999, whereas the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold is $1,799.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphone. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos
Gross sales of the Samsung Z Fold 7 are larger than the earlier era, per Bloomberg, and it is acquired constructive evaluations from tech websites. Windows Central known as it “a winner,” whereas Mashable praised the telephone’s “nearly unbelievably glossy type issue.” Samsung announced the telephone earlier this month, and it will likely be obtainable for buy beginning this Friday.
Although Apple’s foldable iPhone could look just like Samsung’s, it might nonetheless profit from Apple’s attain. Apple holds 57% of the U.S. smartphone market as of the primary quarter of the yr, in comparison with Samsung’s 25%, per Counterpoint Analysis.
Nevertheless, Samsung has traditionally dominated the worldwide foldable smartphone market, promoting over 66% of the 15.9 million foldable telephones bought in 2023, per TrendForce.
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Foldable telephones are a distinct segment class, having by no means accounted for more than 2% of the smartphone market as a complete, per Counterpoint Analysis. Gurman means that Apple might make it mainstream when it enters the class subsequent yr.
Apple is the third most dear firm on the planet, on the time of writing, with a market capitalization of $3.2 trillion.
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Apple is reportedly engaged on its first foldable iPhone, placing the corporate head-to-head with Samsung, a rival that has pioneered foldable telephones since 2019, and Google, which unveiled the Pixel Fold in 2023.
Bloomberg managing editor Mark Gurman, who has an 86.5% accuracy rate on the subject of Apple rumors, reported on Sunday that Apple will enter the foldable telephone market within the latter half of 2026.
With merchandise just like the iPhone and Apple Watch, Apple entered every market early and helped form what the mainstream model of the product would appear like.
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