Trusted tech tipsters have suggested that Apple has landed on a design for its hotly tipped foldable phone. All rumors are grist to Apple's mill, but reports seem to confirm that the tech titan is choosing the flip variant, over a more foldable design.
Previous speculation had alluded to Apple weighing up several prototypes: a model based on the form-factor of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold phones, including the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3, or a clamshell-style device that has echoes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
In reports that can only be considered good news for Apple fans, the Cupertino-giant is seemingly pressing onwards with the flippable clamshell version. It's a sophisticated, more enigmatic design than its Samsung rivals, bursting with opportunity; most strikingly, Apple is clearly stamping its flavor into the model. Lacquering up, and reportedly set to bring it in a variety of colors, oozing charm, and joviality – all hallmarks of Apple and why it's considered a lifestyle brand.
It nods towards a less costly flip phone to the exorbitant, and mind-bogglingly expensive Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Flip, which outprice most users. The phone certainly won’t be landing anytime soon – 2023 is touted as the earliest we could see such a device hitting shelves. And with Apple marching forth with its Apple iPhone 13, as well, there always seems so precious little time for models outside the flagship range.
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Trusted Apple tipster, John Prosser, delves into the design saga, saying: “Apple has sort of made up its mind in terms of which direction to move towards,” before then adding, “and it’s leaning heavily in the favor of that clamshell phone.”
The concept video we covered a short while ago shows a visionary handset, stylishly opening up to reveal its full-form in all its poise and grace. Apple should opt and continue with this design by prepping a luxuriously fun device to own by targeting everyday users.
There are early visible pointers that speak to this: a clamshell design would reduce the size of the phone in your pocket before it fully flips open, maximizing its day-to-day portability; more, the clamshell hardens the phone, making it less susceptible to daily wear and tear. These are issues the everyday user faces, which Apple must solve at a palatable price point.
Prosser's unnamed sources have, reportedly, also informed the forecaster that an Apple flip phone will ship in a dizzying array of colors. It has tinges of the Apple iPhone 11 launch, counting the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, which could be purchased in one of six bold colorways from Apple’s color wheel back in 2019.
To us, it's clearly the right path: vibrant colorways surely hint at Apple’s intended price point and market. Taking a less serious approach that trades on levity and light-heartedness could target an untapped reservoir of users besides professionals, those of whom hanker for a device of style, sturdiness, and sheer coolness – but not at the astronomical cost of the Samsung handsets. Prosser ends his video: “Multiple fun colors give us an idea of what Apple is trying to do with this device. Maybe targeting a more fun, more mainstream market.”
This mainstream market offsets reports around an ultra-resilient screen that had led us to believe the device might be angled as a macho mobile: a sort-of unassuming clamshell that opens into a beefy colossus, more concerned with brawn and durability. With this news, Apple should look to marry-up strength and style in a fun-oriented device aimed at a whole bunch of users. In the meantime, you can take a look at our pick of the best iPhones if you can't stomach a hinge-based handset.
There’s no word yet on why things have shifted behinds the scenes to the flip-style. However, inviting colors, a fun, and flippable design, aren't just low-hanging fruit for the goliath brand. Apple has the unique ability to nail that elusively affordable entry point into this pioneering screen technology, especially by the time 2023 rolls around. By then, might we not be living in a post-Covid landscape, where devices that exude playful charm, a tough chassis to boot, and greater affordability, are the more popular consumer choice. The jury's still out but we certainly think so.
