While the focus on Apple this week is focused on the best iOS 27 features coming to your iPhone and a revamped macOS, it’s fair to say that Apple’s most exciting announcement is still a few months away. More specifically, Apple is expected to introduce its very first foldable iPhone in September. Rumors about a foldable iPhone have persisted for years. And while some rumors about Apple products never see the light of day – with an Apple HDTV and an Apple-branded electric car being two examples – there have been enough leaks from credible sources indicating that the launch of a foldable iPhone is more likely than not.
Additionally, there have been detailed leaks that shed light on specific specifications, as well as photos purporting to show what the finished product will look like. The latest information regarding Apple’s foldable iPhone is that the device may only ship in one color. At this point, notorious leaker Sonny Dickson this week posted photos on X of a dummy iPhone Fold unit. Alongside the photos, Dickson adds that “it doesn’t appear that Apple offers multiple colors, with white currently appearing to be the only option.”
Single color fits Apple’s product launch strategy
Rumors that Apple’s foldable iPhone will only come in one color at launch shouldn’t be that surprising. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that the initial version of Apple’s foldable iPhone “will stay away from fun colors and stick to more utilitarian hues.” So while early speculation was that the Apple foldable would come in black and white, it’s starting to look like white will be the only option available at launch.
If this rumor comes to fruition, it would certainly align with Apple’s strategy of entering a new product category. Note that Apple historically likes to simplify manufacturing and limit SKU selection when introducing a new product. To that end, let’s remember that early versions of the iPhone and iPod were only available in one color option. Once these products gained popularity, Apple gradually introduced additional color options. That said, if you’re looking for a flashy orange-colored foldable iPhone, you’ll probably have to wait a few years. While there are a variety of models, expect them to only differ in the amount of built-in storage.
Apple’s foldable iPhone will likely be best in class
Foldable smartphones are nothing new. Samsung has been releasing them for almost seven years, but Apple didn’t want to enter the fray prematurely. If anything, the company is taking a page out of its old playbook, i.e. not focusing on rushing to market a device that is simply “good enough.” Instead, Apple is taking a measured approach to ensure that when it releases a foldable device, it will offer a superior user experience that will easily outperform the competition.
In light of this, credible reports have indicated that Apple’s foldable iPhone was the first foldable smartphone to ship without a noticeable crease. Most notably, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained that Apple’s design involves incorporating a metal plate into the display itself to help “distribute and control bending stress, preventing the display material from exceeding its elastic limit and thereby minimizing the risk of wrinkling.”
Along the same lines, the hinge components for Apple’s foldable could be made from Liquidmetal, “a material that molds easily but has a huge strength-to-weight ratio while remaining incredibly lightweight.” If Apple could realistically eliminate or significantly reduce the extent to which a foldable display shows signs of creasing, it would immediately raise the bar for quality across the entire industry.
