Apple iPhone Flip wishlist: All the features I want to see

The idea of an iPhone Flip or a foldable iPhone has been floated around for a while. Many previous rumors and reports suggested Apple might bring a foldable display to its iPad series before experimenting with similar form factors for the iPhone. While it’s possible this could still happen, renewed rumors claim Apple is working on an iPhone with a foldable display, something similar in form factor to the Galaxy Z Flip series.

According to the current rumor mill, this iPhone Flip device could arrive as soon as 2026 or 2027. With that in mind, below, here’s what I’d like to see from Apple’s first foldable phone.

It needs to feel like an iPhone while also offering a unique take

Apple tends to wait a while before jumping into emerging trends. This allows investment costs to come down a little and gives the company time to see how others are utilizing these innovations, all in the name of creating something fresh and new, even if it stands on the back of existing work.

The Apple AirTag is a great example of this. While Bluetooth trackers had been around for ages, an exceptional design, improved accuracy through UWB, and a great device network all helped Apple’s solution stand out. With a foldable iPhone, the company has a new challenge. It needs to create a device that looks and feels like an iPhone while still changing things up enough to make it feel fresh and new compared to the competition.

Apple might experiment with slightly different proportions or aspect ratios to help its design stand out, but even then, there are only so many ways to make a flip-style foldable. Unless it introduces something radical, like a phone that unfolds at two points, it will probably end up looking similar to what exists no matter what.

Of course, what makes Apple stand out is simplicity and refinement. I suspect the design won’t work too differently from devices like the Z Flip series, but Apple would likely focus on making it look and feel different. This could mean pushing much thinner designs than we’ve seen before, using more premium materials, adding newer buttons like on the iPhone 16 series, or even something as simple as ensuring a more polished cover screen experience. Samsung is also known for cutting corners a bit when compared to its standard flagships, especially in the camera department. Apple should do the opposite here.

A flagship-level experience for the camera, and well, everything

The Samsung Galaxy Flip 6 and Galaxy S24 series have many similar features, including the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, though the Flip 6 has more RAM and the S24 has a better camera. The Ultra series also has features you’re not going to find on the Flip. This places users in a tricky position: Do you want the best, or do you want something that stands out from the crowd? You can’t have both.

Most Android foldables feel like curiosities. You buy them because you want a device that stands out as different, but you also buy them knowing they will have durability and even feature compromises. Android users are more likely to be tech-savvy, which means they tend to be more willing to deal with compromises or DIY workarounds for issues as they arise. Apple users typically want something more polished and with less compromise.

The foldable iPhone needs to have the same camera package and overall features as the main iPhone if not the Pro series. There shouldn’t be any major compromises at all here. In fact, I’d argue that the iPhone Flip needs to give users more options in general.

I’d love to see an iPhone Flip and iPhone Flip Pro, though it’s not obvious if Apple would be willing to risk investing so much into this form factor. Then again, Apple’s Vision Pro shows they aren’t afraid to create a superior, expensive product that showcases the potential of a form factor, even if it comes at a cost that makes the device unaffordable for most. In a way, this is actually the best way for Apple to introduce its products.

I have to admit I used to be a big VR guy, and then I sort of lost interest. Then along came the Vision Pro, and while I can’t afford it, it got me thinking about how good VR is if expenses aren’t a concern. It has me interested in getting a new VR headset for the first time since my aging HTC Vive, even if I likely would settle for something cheaper like the Meta Quest series. Creating a polished, expensive showcase product is a good way to get people talking. It makes a niche device much more likely to have a mainstream future.

Nostalgia drives everything, so why not evoke some of that here?

Nostalgia is another big driver these days, and I think Apple can easily pull this off. While Apple never got into the flip phone game, it did have the iPod series, which came in multiple different form factors and sizes over the years. Although Apple probably wouldn’t bring back the old-school click wheel, adding something similar for music and media controls would make a lot of sense. Even having a software click wheel would be a possibility, though Apple would need to ensure this doesn’t just come off as cheesy. Furthermore, the cover screen could take some cues from the iPod UI, blending the classic look with modern design elements.

Speaking of the cover screen, switching between displays can still feel pretty jarring. Here’s hoping Apple addresses this, too.

Seamless switching between displays, more polished cover screen

As someone who has used several Galaxy Z Flip models, I’m pretty familiar with the idea of cover screens. Unfortunately, while these screens have improved over the years, there’s still a very real lack of polish here. You can run full-screen apps, but only using work arounds like Good Lock. The default experience is still pretty basic, relegated to just a few simple widgets. Some apps allow you to switch over to the cover screen, but many experiences require you to reopen the main display or perform other gymnastics in order to get things working. I feel like Apple has an opportunity here.

While Samsung has a locked-down limited experience that you can unlock easily, Motorola and many others have an open experience that allows you to use almost any app on the cover screen, but not without a fair share of glitches, UI quirks, and more. Apple is Apple, and so I’d expect nothing less than a locked-down experience. But they don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, they just need to repurpose the Apple Watch UI.

When unfolded, the iPhone Flip could function as a full-fledged iPhone, but when folded up, the cover screen could work like a pocket watch version of an Apple Watch. Apple could give it a similar screen shape, just a bit bigger.

Depending on how Apple implemented things, this could also potentially allow it to support most Apple Watch apps. Assuming this were possible, you’d likely be able to start something on the main screen and then continue it on the cover screen using an Apple Watch version of the app. Extended Apple Watch-like functionality would also be a way to justify an even higher price tag.

Will there be a foldable iPhone or iPhone Flip?

There have been foldable iPhone rumors for years, so it seems likely something is coming eventually. Some of these rumors center around the iPad and the rumored 20-inch foldable form factor it will eventually introduce. Others are specifically around a foldable iPhone. Regardless, most reports suggest a foldable will arrive in late 2025, likely under a new brand or using the iPad branding. An actual foldable iPhone isn’t likely to happen until shortly after that, with 2026 pegged as the likely launch year.

Guessing the time of the year or any other aspects is much harder at this stage, but we’ll update this post as we learn more from the rumor mill or from Apple directly.

Should you wait for the foldable iPhone Flip phone?

Considering we don’t know when Apple plans to officially enter the foldable phone market, there’s absolutely no reason to wait for a foldable iPhone. If you want a foldable now, your best bet is the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Fold 6. The new Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also worth your attention with its processor, modem, display, and other upgrades, as well as Google’s stellar software experience.