Foldables are sort of boring now — and that's great news for Apple
News Source
•2026-08-02T08:00:00-04:00
📰 What Happened
The Verge's Dominic Preston argues that foldable smartphones have matured to the point where they are no longer novel or exciting — and that this is actually good news for Apple. The column contends that after years of Samsung, Google, and others iterating on foldable designs, the technology has reached a level of refinement where an Apple foldable iPhone could enter a well-established market rather than a risky, experimental one. The folding screens are now 'finally good enough for an iPhone,' meaning Apple can launch a polished product rather than a pioneering one.
🔍 The Backstory
Apple has notably refrained from entering the foldable phone market, while competitors like Samsung (Galaxy Z Fold/Flip series), Google (Pixel Fold), and others have been iterating on foldable designs for several years. Early foldable devices suffered from durability issues, visible creases, and high prices, but recent generations have addressed many of these problems.
🎯 Why It Matters
If Apple does release a foldable iPhone as rumours suggest, the timing may be ideal — the market has been de-risked by competitors who absorbed the early adoption pain. Apple can focus on refinement and ecosystem integration rather than fundamental technological breakthroughs, potentially entering the foldable market at scale and reshaping the competitive landscape.
The Verge's Dominic Preston argues that foldable smartphones have matured to the point where they are no longer novel or exciting — and that this is actually good news for Apple. The column contends that after years of Samsung, Google, and others iterating on foldable designs, the technology has reached a level of refinement where an Apple foldable iPhone could enter a well-established market rather than a risky, experimental one. The folding screens are now 'finally good enough for an iPhone,' meaning Apple can launch a polished product rather than a pioneering one.
Apple has notably refrained from entering the foldable phone market, while competitors like Samsung (Galaxy Z Fold/Flip series), Google (Pixel Fold), and others have been iterating on foldable designs for several years. Early foldable devices suffered from durability issues, visible creases, and high prices, but recent generations have addressed many of these problems.
If Apple does release a foldable iPhone as rumours suggest, the timing may be ideal — the market has been de-risked by competitors who absorbed the early adoption pain. Apple can focus on refinement and ecosystem integration rather than fundamental technological breakthroughs, potentially entering the foldable market at scale and reshaping the competitive landscape.