Technologies

Apple Is Working on a Clamshell Version of Its First Foldable iPhone, Report Says

The smaller, squarish model could quickly follow the company’s first foldable phone, if that device sells well.

The days of all iPhones being flat rectangles seem to be rapidly coming to an end. Speculation continues to intensify about Apple launching its first foldable phone in the latter months of 2026, and a new report suggests the company is also working on a future version — a clamshell flip.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, known for his accuracy on Apple scoops, says the clamshell model would be smaller than the book-style foldable that the company is also reportedly working on, and more square in shape. Don’t get too excited yet — Gurman says «the product is far from guaranteed to reach the market» — but if the foldable is a hit, the clamshell could follow soon after.

A clamshell phone is basically a flip phone that, like a clam, folds toward you via a hinge in the middle. Some foldable phones fold like a book, opening up to become almost a tablet, but a clamshell offers a more compact design for maximum portability. Prior to the advent of foldable screens, some might remember the popular flip phone Motorola StarTAC from the 1990s.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

«Apple is betting that its first foldable iPhone will be successful enough to generate real demand for the category and that customers will want additional shapes and sizes, much as they have with traditional slab-style iPhones,» Gurman wrote.

Apple had a strong year, with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max representing more than half of all iPhones sold in December. The company also reported record iPhone sales for the year.

Read more: Best Foldable Phones in 2026

But as CNET’s Andrew Lanxon notes, the clock is ticking on a company that trails the competition when it comes to foldables. Apple has not officially announced a release date, specs or even a name, but most leaks and rumors point to a launch late in 2026. Still, there have been iPhone foldable rumors for years.

If Apple is indeed working on a smaller clamshell foldable, it will have to differentiate from Motorola and Samsung, which already have square-shaped clamshells — the Motorola Razr and the Samsung Z Fold 7, respectively.

Phone style has its fans

Austin Evans, who has over 5.7 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he tries out all sorts of new gadgets and devices, says an iPhone clamshell «would be so cool.»

«I’ve been a big fan of the flip form factor ever since Samsung first launched the Z Flip back in 2020,» Evans told me. «In many ways, to me it feels like the evolution of the ‘normal’ smartphone. While the fold form factor is a great way to turn your device into a mini tablet, the flip form factor shrinks your phone down to a much more pocketable design.

«I really love this as a concept; you do get extra benefits like a phone that can stand on its own and an exterior display that helps to keep you from doomscrolling as effortlessly as a normal device. I like the Fold but the Flip is where my heart is.»

Gurman also speculated in his report that Apple may eventually make a larger, book-style foldable phone. Its first foldable reportedly will have a 5.5-inch display, which would be smaller than Samsung’s 6.5 inches.

Technologies

I Bought the Galaxy Z TriFold for Over $3,000. Follow Along as I Test It (Live Updates)

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 4, #499

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Feb. 4, No. 499.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. One of the words —«fronton» — might not be known to all the people who attempt the puzzle. There’s also a heavy focus on one specific team, which can be tough if you don’t know that roster well. If today’s puzzle has you stuck but you still want to crack it, keep reading for hints and answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Nice victory!

Green group hint: I’ll give you that guy for this guy.

Blue group hint: Where to play.

Purple group hint: Florida hoops.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Win smoothly.

Green group: Fantasy sports trade options.

Blue group: Areas of play, in different sports.

Purple group: Members of the Orlando Magic.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is win smoothly. The four answers are breeze, coast, cruise and waltz.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is fantasy sports trade options. The four answers are accept, counter, propose and reject.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is areas of play, in different sports. The four answers are course, court, fronton and rink.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of the Orlando Magic. The four answers are Banchero, Bane, Black and Suggs.

Toughest Connections: Sports Edition categories

The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle can be tough, but it really depends on which sports you know the most about. My husband aces anything having to do with Formula 1, my best friend is a hockey buff, and I can answer any question about Minnesota teams.

That said, it’s hard to pick the toughest Connections categories, but here are some I found exceptionally mind-blowing.

#1: Serie A Clubs. Answers: Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma.

#2: WNBA MVPs. Answers: Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles and Stewart.

#3: Premier League team nicknames. Answers: Bees, Cherries, Foxes and Hammers.

#4: Homophones of NBA player names. Answers: Barns, Connect, Heart and Hero.

Technologies

Xbox Cloud Gaming Ad-Supported Tier: When Does It Start, How Much Will It Cost and More

Ads could remove the sting of Xbox Game Pass price hikes, but will it be worth it?

Xbox Cloud Gaming is one of the key selling points of Xbox Game Pass, and it generally works well. The service lets gamers stream Xbox titles to a wide range of devices, including phones, tablets, handhelds and select smart TVs from Samsung, LG and Hisense. However, following the Xbox Game Pass price increase from November, streaming alone may not be enough to keep some subscribers on board, which is where an ad-supported tier could come into play.

Microsoft confirmed the existence of an ad-supported tier last year but has not shared details on when it will launch or what it will include. New screenshots shared by players suggest the tier may be arriving soon, though questions remain about how it will work and what limitations it may have.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

When will the Xbox Cloud Gaming ad-supported tier launch?

Microsoft hasn’t made an official announcement yet, but it’s expected to roll out sometime this year, according to Windows Central. Last month, some gamers saw a different loading screen for Xbox Cloud Gaming with a message saying «1 hour of ad-supported play time per session,» which would point to the ads coming soon.

looks like ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming soon 👀 pic.twitter.com/c8hAERrVB9

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 17, 2026

How much will the Xbox Cloud Gaming ad-supported tier cost?

In October, Microsoft confirmed it was internally testing the ad-supported tier, and at the time, said it would be free. Going by the load screen message I mentioned earlier, there will likely be a limit on how long people can play on the tier and during internal testing, players would have to watch a 2-minute ad.

What games will be available on the ad-supported tier?

Rumors about the internal testing suggested players would only have access to certain games for free, but the question is, which ones? Microsoft has a significant number of games available to stream, whether it’s purchased digital games or those available with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Microsoft may allow all the digital games in a player’s library to be streamed and might make a few games available for free on a weekly or monthly basis, similar to the Free Play Days games.