Apple’s reportedly engaged on a foldable iPhone as smartphone sellers attempt rebooting gross sales

All in on folding… Apple’s been busier than normal. The tech icon is claimed to be planning foldable gadgets, together with a flexible iPhone with a bigger display screen than the 16 Pro Max. Another gadget, designed to operate as a laptop computer, will characteristic a foldable 19-inch display screen that rivals the dimensions of some desktop screens. Plus, sources say Apple’s engaged on a slimmer (non-foldable) iPhone with a simplified digital camera that’ll retail for lower than Pro fashions. The new tech may roll out as quickly as 2026.

• In the fold: Apple shall be competing with rivals like Samsung, which already gives foldable fashions just like the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold. But gross sales of Samsung’s new Fold 6 have been reportedly underwhelming.

• Fold over: The foldable-smartphone market grew 49% within the first quarter, pushed by newer entrants like Motorola and China’s Huawei (which overtook Samsung as the highest foldable cellphone vendor in May).

Not phoning it in… After two straight years of declines, world smartphone gross sales rebounded as firms debuted cheaper fashions and gadgets filled with AI. In October, Apple reported that iPhone gross sales ticked up for the primary time in two quarters, pushed by genAI-infused updates. Still, analysts stated presales for the AI iPhone 16 fashions have been decrease than gross sales for the 15’s launch (genmojis haven’t saved the day). Apple could also be making an attempt to climb out of its rut with recent gadgets like foldables, which make up lower than 2% of the smartphone market.

More choices can unlock extra attraction… By providing extra designs and value factors, Apple may encourage clients who’ve been sluggish to improve or Android customers searching for a extra acquainted really feel. The technique’s labored earlier than: after Apple got here out with the larger-screen Plus class, in 2014, its iPhone 6 fashions offered within the hundreds of thousands proper out of the gate.