Former Apple CEO Tim Cook played a major role in the development of the foldable iPhone, which could reach around $3,000 with storage upgrades, according to new details shared by BloombergIt’s Mark Gurman.
Early in development of the foldable iPhone, the company reportedly targeted a starting price of $1,999, hoping to break below the “potentially controversial $2,000 barrier.” The idea was to replicate the iPhone X launch in 2017, which started at $999.
Facing the impact of the global memory shortage, Apple recently reportedly discussed pricing the foldable at $2,199. Some storage configurations could approach $3,000. While the company expects a “shock” for consumers, customers’ willingness to spend around $2,000 for iPhone models with improved storage convinced the company that a “premium foldable device was worth bringing to market.”
Gurman also revealed details about the history of the foldable iPhone at Apple. Around 2020, Cook apparently returned from a visit to Asia “unusually energetic” about foldable phones. During the journey, he saw a growing number of consumers using foldable devices from the likes of Samsung and Huawei. He came to believe that Apple needed an equivalent offering in the market and pushed the company to accelerate its development efforts.
Apple’s hardware engineering team had been studying foldable phones, displays and related components for years, well before the first Galaxy Fold device launched in 2019. Before Cook’s guidance, the project was mired by debates over what form an Apple foldable should take, with one of the first concepts being an iPad mini that could transform into a larger tablet. Cook wanted the final device to be more common in the form of a foldable iPhone, and his level of involvement in the project was unusual.
The project was conceived under Dan Riccio, who preceded John Ternus as head of hardware engineering. The company has apparently prioritized solving four main challenges: reducing the visibility of the screen fold, improving hinge reliability, creating new flexible protective glass for the inner screen, and developing under-screen camera technology.
The company ultimately settled on a hinge system made from titanium and aluminum and custom cover glass developed with Corning. Although it is less durable than other existing iPhone models, Apple believes the foldable iPhone’s build quality is industry-leading for the foldable market and believes it has an advantage over Android devices in terms of software.
Gurman reiterated several of the device’s rumored specs, including a 7.8-inch interior display, a 5.5-inch exterior display, and a wide form factor design. During development, Apple designers apparently compared the device’s folded proportions to a passport and the unfolded proportions to a Magic Trackpad. The short, wide design was chosen to provide a point of differentiation from the rival foldable and generate consumer interest.
He reiterated that the foldable iPhone could be less durable than a regular iPhone, with an inferior camera system and lower battery life. Despite these drawbacks, Apple employees believe that “the company will sell every foldable phone it can produce.”
Gurman also noted that the technical complexity of the foldable iPhone “makes it an ideal showcase” for new CEO John Ternus, following his career as Apple’s hardware chief. Ternus was apparently a great champion of the device and played a major role in “pushing it across the finish line”, alongside Cook.
Apple’s foldable iPhone is expected to be announced tomorrow at its “Surprise and Shine” event. View full Bloomberg report for more information.
