Apple’s rumored potential phone Flip: all the gossips about a potential folding phone

This is a rendering of the iPhone Flip.
Apple is working on a second option. The iPhone Fold might be the one that gets the most attention, but it’s not the only foldable smartphone Apple is developing. Here’s what the iPhone Flip could look like. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones are among the many folding devices available on the market. Apple has not yet shipped a folding smartphone. Other major competitors in the market have. There are many rumors about the iPhone Fold. Rumors say that it is a large-screen iPhone which can be opened like a book and reveal a large screen. There’s another option. There has been talk of a smaller iPhone Flip model that is even more compact than the iPhone Fold. This time, the phone would look like a standard iPhone when it is open, but can be folded in half to take up even less space when it is closed. Rumors have surfaced about the fabled ‘flipping phone. iPhone Flip prototyping Despite the many rumors surrounding the iPhone Fold, it is unlikely that this will be the only smartphone in development with hinged capabilities. Rumors suggest that there are other hinged smartphones in development. A report from February claimed that Apple had contacted a manufacturer about components for at least two foldable iPhones in different sizes. The larger-screened iPhone Fold counts as one model, so it makes sense to assume that the smaller model would be the second. This smaller variant is therefore logically the iPhone Flip. The iPhone Flip may be very similar to a flip phone. It is almost certain Apple has been prototyping foldable devices since quite some time. Apple’s numerous patents show that it has seriously considered this concept. iPhone Flip gets a new codename and vertical fold. A July report claimed that Apple was developing a folding iPhone that wasn’t the iPhone Fold. The model, codenamed “v68,” was said to have the same basic design as the iPhone: a long and thin screen. The Flip is described as a top-down folding device, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Flip. The top half will fold over the bottom. This could give iPhone Flip similar abilities to the Galaxy Flip. For example, it could be opened in an L-shape so that half of the screen could be upright without requiring a kickstand. The iPhone Flip could be able to stand upright on its own. According to the report, since it is essentially an iPhone that folds into half, it will have specifications that are similar to current-generation models. It is not clear if the device will have an external display like the Fold. However, it could be thinner. Apple may thin the chassis in order to avoid this possibility. Folding it in half would double the thickness of the device when closed. Apple is able to achieve the slim thickness. Apple’s goal to make the thinnest device on the market will allow the iPhone Slim to have a body that is much thinner, possibly as thin as the iPad Pro 0.20-inch thick. Apple’s iPhone Flip is expected to arrive in 2026-2027. As for the exact date, it will be a while before Apple releases this device. A report from June stated that Apple would release folding devices as early as 2027. The report was a follow-up to an earlier March rumor which said that a possible release in the fourth of 2026 had been pushed back to early 2027. Reports in July promoted the idea that a foldable iPhone would be released in 2026. The hinge mechanism for the iPhone Flip is going to be crucial. It’s possible that a company like Apple can come up with a foldable smartphone by 2026. Apple has two years to develop and manufacture a new iPhone standard. Although there are some design considerations which will make it more difficult, this is still a reasonable timeframe to bring out a new version of the device. Apple Flip display tech In order to make the screen foldable Apple must come up with a display which can withstand the stress of repeated folding on the same area of the device. Since April 2022, Apple has been working with supply-chain partners to create flexible displays that can be used on an iPad or MacBook. By May, the iPhone displays were also included. Apple worked with LG Display, Samsung Display and other companies to create screens that would not crumple by September of that same year. This involved creating hybrid OLED panels that combined inflexible glass substrate panels with flexible plastic substrate panel. Apple must be careful not to allow the screen to crease. Plastic can be made flexible, but glass cannot. This idea is logical. Apple has also considered different ways to bend the screen without creases. There have been many ideas, including complicated hinge mechanisms that support the screen’s most vulnerable point. Other ideas include stretchable screens. Apple has considered a variety of issues and solutions for the display’s foldable element. iPhone Flip’s familiar specs One area that hasn’t been really touched by rumors is potential specifications for the smartphone. It’s easy to understand: it’s still too early and the display is all that matters. Occam’s Razor suggests that Apple will use the same specifications for the iPhone Pro models at the time it is released. You would expect that a flagship-level device would have the best specifications. The iPhone Flip, when folded, could be very compact, if it is not thin. What specifications the iPhone Flip will have will depend on what Apple has planned for its main iPhone line-up in 2026 or 2027. In the world of technology, two years is a very long time. You can expect a lot to change. The rear cameras are the big question mark, as they require a lot of depth. Apple could also do the same thing with the iPhone Flip. Apple could increase the thickness and retain the triple rear camera system of the Pro models. A folded iPhone will already be thicker than the standard body. Adding a few millimeters won’t be a problem for such an innovative device.