Why a folding iPhone is Apple’s biggest gamble yet

A folding iPhone has been rumoured since the first foldable phone debuted back in 2018. It’s understandable – even if Apple hadn’t started work on the iPhone Ultra (as it’s rumoured to be called) back then, the hype was already building. As one of the most innovative and well-executing tech companies in the world, what could Apple do with a foldable phone? Everyone wanted to know.

Now that the folding iPhone is rumoured to launch in early September, we’re about to find out.

But this could be a huge gamble for Apple. While Samsung’s recent Galaxy Z range of foldables has seen big demand, foldables remain a niche proposition. That’s true no matter who makes it.

Then there’s the question of specs. The foldable form factor necessarily involves compromises, and if the rumours are true, the folding iPhone will be no different.

It’s rumoured to only have two rear cameras, for starters, while the Pro iPhone models have three. That would mean it lacks an optical zoom lens for higher-quality zoomed in shots.

But another missing feature could be even more of a turnoff for customers. Reports say the folding iPhone will lack Face ID facial recognition. Instead, you’ll have to make do with Touch ID fingerprint recognition on the side button. That could feel like a real step backwards to those of us who have become accustomed to unlocking, accessing passwords and buying things with Apple Pay via a mere glance at our phones.

But that’s not all. It’s also said to lack MagSafe abilities, which means no clip-on wireless charging, or dashboard wireless docks, or numerous other accessories. The wallet-friendly iPhone 16e lacked MagSafe in order to keep the price down, but many saw that as a dealbreaker (Apple brought MagSafe back with the follow-up iPhone 17e).

Then there’s the foldable form factor itself. While foldable phones have come a long way since the earliest models which snapped through over use, there are still issues with the design. Specialist website iFixit recently took apart the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and they found that the hinge is susceptible to tiny particles of dust and sand (Samsung makes no secret of this – it warns users to keep dust away from the phone). Once even a microscopic particle gets in there, iFixit found, it starts making “truly awful crunching and grinding noises” every time you open or close the phone, and soon after, the phone stopped opening normally.

Samsung has been making foldables since 2019. If even a company with its vast experience and resources still can’t nail the design, can Apple on its first try?

Then there’s the price. Foldables are notoriously expensive – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at £1,899. Given that this year’s iPhone range is said to be pricier than last year’s (some estimates say we could see a price hike of £300), it would be surprising if the foldable iPhone sold for less than £2,000.

That’s a lot of money to pay for a phone with fewer features and lower specs than the Pro variant of iPhone. Will people pay it? Some will, undoubtedly. The folding iPhone has been awaited so long that enthusiasts will want to see what Apple can do with the form factor. But if it’s hoping to appeal beyond the well-heeled early adopters, Apple could be in for a surprise.