In summary:
- Macworld reports on a physical dummy model of Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold, created from leaked CAD files showing a radical departure from existing foldable designs.
- The device appears to prioritize an iPad mini-like form factor when unfolded, resulting in a more square shape when folded unlike current Android foldables.
- This unique design offers a wider internal display compared to Samsung and Google’s foldable phones, potentially setting Apple apart in the emerging foldable market.
According to reports, the foldable iPhone is going to arrive next year. Now, foldable phones have been around for a while, so the concept isn’t new, but Apple’s take on it certainly is. If you’ve been wondering what an iPhone Fold (or whatever Apple decides to call it) is going to look like, we might have an idea right now.
A user who goes by Subsy posted on MakerWorld a physical, plastic model of the iPhone Fold, based on leaked CAD files reportedly leaked from Apple’s own production line. The model isn’t supposed to be an exact replica of what Apple will ship next year (for example, Subsy’s hinge isn’t based on any Apple design), but it’s “a physical reference you can actually hold.” And from what Subsy created, the iPhone Fold is going to have a very different design from what iPhone and folding phone users are accustomed to.
Based on the model, Apple has decided to prioritize the form factor of the iPhone Fold when it is unfolded, where the aspects closely resemble those of an iPad mini. That means that when folded, the iPhone Fold’s shape is a lot more square than a regular iPhone. That’s a different approach from Android folding phones, which often have tall, skinny outer displays to maintain the folded form as a more traditional rectangular shape. Thus, the inside of the folding iPhone will be more widescreen than foldable offerings from Samsung and Google.
We could get a sense of how real this square-ish form is at WWDC in June. Though Apple won’t specifically address this new form factor, the company could introduce methods for developers to vary app UI designs so that their apps will be able to adjust and maintain usability. It could also go so far as to preview the folding phone months before it releases, as it did with the original iPhone back in 2007.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.