The latest leak about Galaxy Fold 6 might actually hint at the upcoming foldable iPhone, which has been heavily rumored over the past few days. According to news aggregator yeux1122, the new technologies Samsung is implementing to its new Fold phone might be the same Apple is planning to use on its upcoming foldable iPhone.
Citing a domestic source, yeux1122 says the hinge parts used in Galaxy Fold 6 will be thinner than the current model, as Samsung will use a new one. This will also contribute to weight reduction thanks to a new component design and structure secured through new patents.
Not only will it improve repair and durability, but it’s also expected to be around 11mm thick, comparable to regular smartphone thickness. With that, the leaker says the half-moon structure of some new internal hinge parts corresponds to the durability and weight reduction requested by Apple.
Rumors about a foldable iPhone have been around for a few years, but getting a proper leak is harder. Then, last week, Korean outlet The Elec and American publication The Information shared details about this foldable iPhone.
According to them, Apple is planning a Galaxy Z Flip-like foldable iPhone that needs to be as thin as current iPhone models. Just a reminder, the iPhone 15 Pro is 8.25mm thicker, so Apple would be aiming at an iPhone Flip that is as thick as the original 2007 model, which had 11.6mm of thickness.
The report believes Apple started this project around 2020, but it might need a few more years until it’s completed. More interestingly, Korean outlet The Elec has recently learned that Apple is considering a 2026 or 2027 release date for a foldable device that would be about the same size as the iPad Mini.
The report doesn’t call it a phone. Previous rumors said that Apple’s first foldable device might be a tablet rather than an iPhone.
Foldable iPhone leak points to a 20th-anniversary celebration
The Elec points out that 2027 would mark the 20th anniversary of the iPhone and the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone with an OLED panel. The latter isn’t really a cause for celebration. The 2017 iPhone X had to be different because Apple celebrated the handset’s 10th anniversary. And the OLED screen allowed Apple to make an all-screen display in addition to the TrueDepth system.
However, making a foldable iPhone in 2027 to mark the iPhone’s 20th anniversary would be a big deal. Thanks to this Information report, I now think this could be Apple’s ultimate goal by once again reshaping how we use and interact with our iPhones by introducing a foldable variant.
