Picture dis one: smartphone wey fit fold for half become small like passport. E sound like something wey just dey for concept, but e fit give dis iPhone Fold wey dey come soon unique selling point, as Apple dey throway rulebook for how dem dey design foldable phones.
And di better part? Di passport-sized iPhone Fold fit show as early as dis year, as Apple fit launch am together with iPhone 18 series for September. By now, if internet dey talk true, iPhone Fold no be mystery again. Apple don set to begin production for next two months, wey mean say launch fit happen as dem plan am – and, if person wan guess, e fit show before Christmas (so make you keep some cash aside for iPhone Fold).
Maybe di biggest gist about iPhone Fold no be price or name, but im shape, wey no be traditional compared to how foldable phones dey look now. Di iPhone Fold and im unique form dey remind plenty people of BlackBerry Passport, smartphone wey dem aim for business users before wey differ wella from most handsets for market dat time.
Im 12 cm x 9 cm square screen dey very different, and design of Passport don cause plenty debate among BlackBerry fans. E be odd-looking phone, thick pass normal, but because of im square display, e make am easier to read.
Coming to iPhone Fold, Apple no go invent passport or square shape for foldable phones. Google and Microsoft don try similar approach with original Pixel Fold and Surface Duo. But, iPhone Fold fit standardise widescreen foldable phone, something earlier devices no fit do am.
Samsung and other manufacturers don release several generations of foldable phones, but plenty still dey follow tall, narrow design. Apple upcoming iPhone Fold dey expected to break from dis trend with wider, shorter 4:3 aspect ratio, wey go improve video viewing by reducing black bars and make better use of screen.
Widescreen inner display make plenty sense, as watching videos for narrow screens of current foldable phones na clear weakness. To get widescreen display fit help app developers, wey fit redesign dia iPhone apps to dey closer to wetin dey show for iPad.
Make we clear am, device go still run iOS and not iPadOS. Apparently, Apple go introduce iPad-like interface, wey go feature new layouts and core iPhone apps with sidebars for left side of screen, similar to iPad apps, while e go retain iPhone multitasking system.
Interface no go fit run multiple windows at di same time like iPad, but e go fit display two apps side by side, similar to folding Samsung and Google devices.
Di thing with Apple wey person no suppose ignore na say di company na master of reinvention. Im rivals don dey take note. Huawei don partially announce Pura X Max last week, wey also feature widescreen display and square design, and Samsung dey plan to launch im own widescreen foldable for July dis year.
Google Pixel 11 Pro dey also expected to adopt wider design. E be coincidence say just as Apple dey about to release widescreen foldable (im first foldable phone), other companies dey also introduce foldables with widescreen displays, despite say users don dey request such designs for years.
For industry wey dey expect slower smartphone sales for coming quarters, timing of iPhone Fold launch no fit ignored. Foldables don generate excitement for years, yet di category still dey struggle to gain mainstream attention.
Although global shipments grow 14 per cent year over year for Q3 2025 to reach all-time quarterly record, foldable phones still no enter everyday conversations like iPhone once do am.
Dat being said, despite smartphone designs don reach maturity, still get scope for innovation both for design and software experience. Existing book-style foldable phones dey better at multitasking, and Apple entry into market go likely boost popularity of category and drive sales of such devices.
Di question wey still need to ask, though, na whether consumers go dey willing to pay $2,000 for iPhone Fold. While Apple don get strong track record of hit devices for past, for recent years consumers no dey as loyal to Apple as dem be before.
Apple too get string of hit and miss products for recent years, though dem no discuss am plenty. To convince person to pay $2,000 for folding phone, Apple, like any other brand, get to offer better device pass competition, with clear differentiation.
But, first-generation iPhone Fold no likely to dey perfect for every way; e go likely lag for battery life and fit still get crease for middle of display, although Apple dey expected to adopt technology wey reduce visibility of crease.
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