hello. This is Technologytodaynow. Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to launch at the end of 2026, and the design is likely to be similar to the iPad.
The foldable iPhone design is identical to the iPad.
According to Digital Chat Station’s Weibo, Apple plans to set the main display ratio of the foldable iPhone to 4:3, which is the same as the iPad. According to a report by the media, the tentatively named “iPhone Fold” will also adopt an internal display ratio of around 4:3 to maintain consistency between the external displays and ensure compatibility with the existing iPadOS.
Apple maintains a 4:3 ratio display on most iPad and iPad Pro models. However, the iPad Pro 11-inch model and the redesigned base iPad are still based on the 4:3 ratio, although the ratio varies slightly.
Consistent Display Ratio
On the other hand, the iPad mini with a 3:2 ratio is the only iPad model with a significantly different ratio. If Apple maintains a 4:3 ratio, compatibility issues are not expected to occur much. Of course, the 4:3 ratio has the disadvantage of increasing letterboxes when watching videos, but it is optimized for multitasking, documenting, and web surfing, so I think the foldable iPhone will be a good choice for those who want to feel the user experience provided by the iPad on a foldable smartphone.
New Experience
Also, in my personal opinion, if the foldable iPhone provides similar usability to the iPad unlike the existing foldable model, it will be able to actively use it not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction. If that happens, it will be similar to Huawei’s Pura X. The question is whether Apple will see the foldable iPhone as an extension of the iPad and introduce a screen segmentation function or not to support screen segmentation by considering it as a category of the iPhone.
Battery life and durability
In addition, Apple is currently developing a full-double iPhone and focusing on increasing battery life and durability. Here is a summary of what has been known about the full-double iPhone so far.
- 5.5″ Cover Display with 7.8″ Main Display
- Wrinkle removal and durability of the main display greatly enhanced through the application of liquid metal material
- The thickness is 9.2mm when folded and 4.6mm when unfolded
- Face ID module is difficult to mount, so internal design space is expected to be saved through side physical buttons with built-in touch ID
Conclusion
So far, we’ve looked at the foldable iPhone design and what we know so far. Personally, the 4:3 ratio is really good. The 16:9 ratio is too long, so I don’t think it’s good to hold it vertically or horizontally. I wonder how the actual model will be released.