Technologies

Why Apple Hasn’t Released the iPhone Fold… Yet

Commentary: Apple debuted the iPhone 14 Pro in September, but a foldable iPhone still feels like a longshot.

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.

Apple’s new iPhone 14 line includes some of the biggest hardware updates made in years, including the iPhone 14 Pro’s redesigned cutout for Dynamic Island’s contextual notifications and an iPhone 14 Plus model. But among the changes, Apple has not yet confirmed if a rumored foldable iPhone is in development. This is particularly curious as Samsung continues to refine its foldable phone lineup with the release of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 back in August.

Samsung isn’t the only company making phones with foldable screens. There’s the Motorola Razr. And outside the US, Huawei and Xiaomi also have foldable phones. Which leaves us with an obvious question: Where’s Apple’s foldable iPhone?

Apple doesn’t comment on future products

The first thing to consider is that Apple doesn’t announce products until they’re ready. OK, there was the AirPower wireless charging pad. But otherwise Apple isn’t going to tell us it’s working on a foldable iPhone or confirm rumors.

Next, Apple typically positions products as a solution to a problem, highlighting quality and innovation.

The Galaxy Z Fold seems less like an answer to a problem and more of a «look at this tech wizardry, what can we do with it?!» And the cool-factor, as ingenious as it is, comes at the expense of features we expect from regular phones, including battery life, ergonomics, software experience and price. The Galaxy Z Flip solves the problem of portability, but it comes with some of the same drawbacks as the Fold, particularly around battery life and camera quality.

To be fair, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 took a significant step forward by embracing its large main screen and adding support for Samsung’s S Pen stylus. And the Z Fold 4’s improved Flex Mode for apps seems like it might tip the balance, making the Fold more useful than just cool.

If Apple were to release a foldable iPhone, what problem would it solve? Could it be an iPhone Flip, replacing the iPhone 13 Mini by offering you a big screen that’s still pocket-friendly? Or will it be an iPhone Fold — more like an iPad Mini that folds in half, making its closed size more like the iPhone 13 Pro Max? Or will we see a design that doesn’t exist yet? What about an iPhone Roll, where the screen unrolls like an expanding window shade? That’s where rumors start to enter the picture.

iPhone Fold rumors

Back in January 2021, Mark Gurman wrote for Bloomberg that Apple «has begun early work on an iPhone with a foldable screen, a potential rival to similar devices from Samsung.»

And in May of 2021, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said, as reported by MacRumors, that «Apple will likely launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch QHD Plus flexible OLED display in 2023.» He revised his prediction, in a tweet this past April, to say that it might be 2025 before there’s a foldable screen device from Apple. It’s also worth noting that Kuo’s tweet was on April 1, which means it could have been an April Fool’s joke.

Both Gurman and Kuo have excellent track records when it comes to Apple rumors. So if these reports are accurate, we’ll see a foldable iPhone in 2025. It will be about the size of an iPad Mini and it’ll fold in half. End of story. But hold on.

How to make a foldable iPhone

Before Apple makes a foldable iPhone, it has to figure out how to make a foldable iPhone. Research company Omdia claims that in 2021, 11.5 million foldable phones shipped. Apple sells hundreds of millions of iPhones a year. So if it makes a foldable iPhone, it has to be certain that it can manufacture the phones at the same quality and in a high enough quantity to meet demand. More times than not when Apple introduces a radical hardware change — like 2014’s iPhone 6 Plus and its larger screen — those models are hard to find at launch because they sell out quickly. Sometimes they’re given a later release date, as we saw with the iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max launch.

Then there’s the physical complexity that needs to be considered. Foldable phones have numerous mechanical parts that could malfunction or wear, such as hinge components that keep dust out and the various layers behind the folding screen. In fact, when journalists tested review units of the original Galaxy Fold, the device was plagued by hinge and display failures. That was years ago, of course, and Samsung has since fixed those issues. But it shows what can happen with first-gen products.

If a foldable iPhone is in the works, Apple will likely innovate its design to minimize the parts and mechanisms involved, which should reduce the possibility of the phones failing because something breaks. The Cupertino company has a great track record in this area.

When Apple released the iPhone 7, it replaced the home button with a faux home button so there was one less mechanical part that could possibly break. And if you’ve ever owned or used a MacBook, you know Apple is at the top of its game when it comes to hinge design, and dependability. Apple also sells AppleCare Plus service — and includes a global infrastructure to support it — which could help relieve concerns over problems or accidental damage, should it release a foldable phone.

iOS and iPadOS would need to be revamped

And then there’s the software. One UI, Samsung’s name for its take on Android, has to be the most under-appreciated aspect of the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold. These new designs would have to simultaneously do all the things we expect from current phones while also creating new functionality that takes advantage of their folding screens. They’d also have to do all of these things flawlessly without any bugs or hiccups.

For instance, the Galaxy phones’ Flex Mode has been around for years. Essentially, when the Fold or Flip are folded into an L-shape, like a mini laptop, the software shifts an app to the top half of the screen while providing functionality at the bottom. Sounds cool and full of possibilities, right?

Well, until this year that functionality has been limited. That’s why it matters that Samsung’s Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 let you turn the bottom half of their screens into touchpads while they’re in Flex Mode. The company is now showing an added benefit of the fold.

I’d like to see even more software optimized for foldable phones. And I expect Apple will face the same challenges as Samsung did, especially when adapting iOS and iPadOS.

In recent years, iOS and iPadOS have drifted apart as Apple has created more iPad-specific features that wouldn’t make sense on an iPhone. A foldable iPhone, especially in the style of a Galaxy Z Fold 4, would require a reunion of the two operating systems. Or, Apple would have to develop a new software platform that can morph between a tablet and phone mode.

Apple would likely develop a unique software feature (think iMessage or Portrait Mode) to help make its foldable phone standout from what everyone else is doing.

How much would you pay for a foldable iPhone?

Foldable phones ain’t cheap. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,800 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 at $1,000. And it’s no surprise that prices for Apple products are at the higher end. So if an iPhone 14 Pro that doesn’t fold in half already costs $1,000, what would be the price for one that does?

For a foldable iPhone to be successful, Apple would need to create a problem-solving design, scale manufacturing without sacrificing quality and develop hardware along with software that make the most of its foldable build. The price would also have to be premium, but not too high.

So where’s the foldable iPhone? Still in the oven.

Technologies

Tariffs Explained: I Have Everything You Need to Know as Walmart, Subaru Hike Prices

Technologies

Google I/O Announcements: The Latest AI Upgrades Coming to Gemini, XR and More

From its new Project Aura XR glasses to Chrome’s wants-to-be-more-helpful AI mode, Gemini Live and new Flow generative video tool, Google puts AI everywhere.

As you’d expect, this year’s Google I/O developer’s conference focused almost exclusively on AI — where the company’s Gemini AI platform stands, where it’s going and how much it’s going to cost you now for its new AI Ultra subscription plan (spoiler: $250 per month). Meanwhile, a new Flow app expands the company’s video-generation toolset, and its Android XR glasses make their debut.

Plus, all AI usage and performance numbers are up! (Given that a new 42.5-exaflop Ironwood Tensor processing unit is coming to Google Cloud later this year, they’ll continue to rise.)

Google’s Project Aura, a developer kit for Android XR that includes new AR glasses from Xreal, is the company’s next step in the company’s roadmap toward glasses-based, AI-driven extended reality. CNET’s Scott Stein goes in-depth in an exclusive interview with Shahram Izadi, Google’s VP and GM for Android XR about that future. And headset-based Project Moohan, developed in conjunction with Samsung, is now available, and Google’s working with Samsung to extend beyond headsets.

For a play-by-play of the event, you can read the archive of our live blog.

Google already held a separate event for Android, where it launched Android 16, debuting its new Material 3 Expressive interface, updates to security and an update on Gemini integration and features.

A lot of the whizzy new AI features are only available via one of its subscription levels. AI Pro is just a rebranding of Google’s $20-per-month Gemini Advanced plan (adding some new features), but Google AI Ultra is a pricier new option — $250 per month, with half off the first three months for the moment — that provides access to the latest, spiffiest and least usage-limited of all its tools and models, as well as a prototype for managing AI agents and the 30 terabytes of storage you’re going to need to store it all. They’re both available today.

Google also wants to make your automation sound smarter with Personalized Smart Replies, which makes your generated answers sound more like you, as well as plowing through pieces of information on your device to provide relevant information. It’ll be in Gmail this summer for subscribers. Eventually, it’ll be everywhere.

Also, it includes lots of better models, better coding tools and other details on developer-friendly things you expect from a developer conference. The announcement included its conversational Gemini Live, formerly part of Project Astra, its interactive, agentic, voice AI, kitchen sink AI app. (As Managing Editor Patrick Holland says, «Astra is a rehearsal of features that, when they’re ready for the spotlight, get added to Gemini Live.») And for researchers, NotebookLM incorporates Gemini Live to improve its… everything.

It’s available now in the US.

Chrome AI Mode

People (that is, those over 18) who pony up for the subscriptions, plus users on the Chrome Beta, Dev and Canary tracks, will be able to try out the company’s expanded Gemini integration with Chrome — summary, research and agentic chat based on the contents of your screen, somewhat like Gemini Live does for phones (which, by the way, is available for free on Android and iOS as of today). But the Chrome version is more suited to the type of things you do at a computer rather than a phone. (Microsoft already does this with Copilot in its own Edge browser.)

Eventually, Google plans for Gemini in Chrome to be capable of synthesizing using multiple tabs and voice navigation.

The company is also expanding how you can interact with its AI Overviews in Google Search as part of AI Mode, with interactions with AI Overviews and more agentic shopping help. It’s a new tab with search, or on the search bar, and it’s available now. It includes deeper searches, Personal Context — which uses all the information it knows about you, and that’s a lot — to make suggestions and customize replies.

The company detailed its new AI Mode for shopping, which has an improved conversational shopping experience, a checkout that monitors for the best pricing, and an updated «try on» interface that lets you upload a photo of yourself rather than modeling it on a generic body.

Google plans to launch it soon, though the updated «try on» feature is now available in the US via Search Labs.

Google Beam

Formerly known as Project Starline, Google Beam is the updated version of the company’s 3D videoconferencing, now with AI. It uses a six-camera array to capture all angles of you, which the AI then stitches together, uses head tracking to follow your movements, and sends at up to 60 frames per second.

The platform uses a light field display that doesn’t require wearing any special equipment, but that technology also tends to be sensitive to off-angle viewing. HP is an old hand in the large-scale scanning biz, including 3D scanning, so the partnership with Google isn’t a big surprise.

Flow and other generative creative tools

Google Flow is a new tool that builds on Imagen 4 and Veo 3 to perform tasks like creating AI video clips and stitching them into longer sequences, or extending them, with a single prompt while keeping them consistent from scene to scene. It also provides editing tools like camera controls. It’s available as part of Gemini AI Ultra.

Imagen 4 image generation is more detailed, with improved tonality and better text and typography. And it’s faster. Meanwhile, Veo 3, also available today, has a better understanding of physics and native audio generation — sound effects, background sounds and dialogue.

Of course, all this is available under the AI Pro plan. Google’s Synth ID gen AI detection tool is also available today.

Technologies

WWDC 2025 Set for June 9. What to Expect From iOS 19 and How to Watch

The tech giant has published the lineup for its summer software event, including details of how to stream the keynote.

Apple has revealed the lineup for this year’s WWDC, its annual developer conference, which is scheduled to take place from June 9 to June 13, with a mix of online and in-person sessions. The company has scheduled a special event for the first day at Apple Park, where it will stream its keynote and platforms state of the union address.

The June 9 keynote is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. PT, and will detail «groundbreaking updates coming to Apple platforms,» according to a press release. During the keynote, we expect to see the company announce its plans for iOS 19 and other software updates across iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

The platforms state of the union will take place on the same day at 1 p.m. PT, offering «a deeper dive into the new tools that will further empower Apple developers, including advances across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS.»

You can watch both events online via apple.com, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel.

As always, iOS 19 likely won’t arrive later in the year (probably after the annual September iPhone event), but WWDC will provide us with our first glimpse of Apple’s plans for our devices. In the meantime, check out our iOS 19 wish list of features that CNET staff hope will be coming with this next big software update.

What is WWDC?

WWDC is a conference for the developers who create the apps we use across our Apple devices, from our iPhones to our MacBooks, to learn about new tools and features they can take advantage of that year. However, the event also garners significant attention from beyond the developer community, since it tells us all we need to know about what to expect from the next generation of software updates that will come to our devices.

The online event is free to attend for all developers, and anyone who is curious can tune into Apple’s keynote. But those who want to attend the June 9 event at Apple Park in person need to apply online. In the days following, students and developers will attend sessions where they can engage more deeply with the changes to Apple’s platforms, which will allow them to ensure their apps are fully compatible with and that they take advantage of those changes.

«We’re excited to mark another incredible year of WWDC with our global developer community,» said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations. «We can’t wait to share the latest tools and technologies that will empower developers and help them continue to innovate.»

What to Expect at WWDC 2025

If rumors are to be believed, Apple’s operating systems are set for a dramatic design overhaul this year. According to Bloomberg, iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and MacOS 16 will all feature new icons and menus, which will also change how our devices and controlled and navigated. The aim is reportedly to create a more cohesive style across platforms that will be reminiscent of VisionOS, the operating system designed for the company’s mixed-reality headset.

But that’s not all — Apple will likely use WWDC to outline the progress its made in the field of AI. «I’m looking forward to seeing more details about Apple Intelligence and the new features that will become available,» said Francisco Jeronimo, VP of devices at IDC. «This is critical for Apple, as Google Gemini and the Android vendors have taken significant steps forward with their AI offerings.»

Last year at WWDC 2024, Apple announced iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence — as well as updates to Siri that have yet to materialize.