Apple's first foldable device may be branded the "iPhone Ultra," elevating it above the iPhone Pro Max, the current highest-end iPhone.
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While Apple is expanding its product lineup to cater to value-oriented customers through the $599 iPhone 17e and the similarly priced iPhone chip-powered MacBook Neo, it also wants to push the ceiling on its highest-end tier.
The company already uses the Ultra moniker for its powerful processors and rugged watches. The iPhone Fold will be the latest addition to that umbrella of expensive products, with the price reportedly hovering around or crossing the $2,000 threshold.
While the Galaxy Z Fold also starts at $1,999.99, Samsung sells a more reasonably priced Flip 7.
With no cheaper clamshell foldable to accompany the iPhone Fold/Ultra, Apple has already priced out some iOS users who have been waiting for years for a bendable device.
Unique shape
The iPhone Fold will be short and wide. | Image by Sonny Dickson
Most foldable devices take a balanced approach, ensuring the hardware is as much a phone as a tablet. Apple is going all in on a table-first philosophy with a design that's wider than it's tall.
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When folded, the device will be wider than conventional smartphones, creating potential issues for one-handed use and pocket placement.
Similarly, in the unfolded state, it will look like a small tablet. While its aspect ratio may be more suited to content consumption, that's not the only use case for which customers buy foldable phones.
The iPad mini-like cramped footprint means that the device may not be as suited to multitasking and light productivity tasks as other bendable phones. That would be wasting the device's potential, considering it will be powered by the 2nm A20 Pro, a much faster chip than the MacBook Neo's A18 Pro.
Despite its performance prowess, it will be reduced to nothing more than a leisure device due to its dimensions.
Compounding the failure of the iPhone mini and iPhone Air
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has generous dimensions. | Image by PhoneArena
Some devices are better in theory than in practice. The compact iPhone mini and the slim iPhone Air failed to attract buyers despite their sleek designs. The devices seemed the right fit for customers who have voiced displeasure about there being a dearth of small devices. In the end, the trade-offs made to design those devices were dealbreakers for buyers.
We might be seeing a repeat of that with the iPhone Fold. Slated to be one of the thinnest foldable phones, the device doesn't have enough room for the Face ID tech or a third rear camera.
With its bold design, bundle of compromises, and prohibitive price tag, the iPhone Fold might appeal only to Apple diehards and outliers.
However, Apple users have been clamouring for a foldable for years, and may not care about technical trade-offs as long as the hardware runs iOS.
If Apple is counting on that pent-up demand to drive sales, it has made iPhone users wait all these years for nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I am camp in Apple on this one. However, I tend to almost always have the unpopular opinion, which is why I am trying to see why this device might not work. For sure, the reaction on social media has been largely negative, with most customers displaying skepticism of the design.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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