Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to arrive later this year, but the device we’re getting today apparently isn’t the design the company started with.
According to a new leak, Apple originally experimented with a flip-style foldable iPhone before eventually abandoning the concept in favor of a larger book-style design.
The upcoming iPhone Fold is widely expected to unfold like a small tablet, similar to devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. But internally, Apple reportedly explored a very different direction.
Apple once tested a flip-style iPhone
A new post from leaker Instant Digital claims Apple had previously developed a foldable iPhone with a top-down flip design.
Apple gave up the plan of folding the Flip model with a flip cover. Most people in the interior think it is “unnecessary”. It has not created any new scene that “must be used”. The biggest selling point is that it can be folded into the pocket of tight jeans and cannot step on the cool point of Apple’s hardware now.
The internal space of the small folding fuselage is cut into two pieces by hinges, and every inch of land is gold. battery plug is not big, image to big compromise… if only in order to make the phone smaller, apple would rather go to streamline now straight models.
That concept would have worked more like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, where the phone folds vertically to become more compact.
However, the design was eventually scrapped during development.
According to the leak, Apple engineers felt the flip form factor did not introduce any meaningful new ways to use the device. Instead, its biggest advantage was simply portability, allowing the phone to fold into a smaller pocket-friendly shape.
That alone apparently wasn’t enough to justify the compromises the design required.
The flip design came with major tradeoffs
One of the biggest challenges with a smaller flip-style foldable was internal space.
Because the device folds in half vertically, the hinge effectively divides the internal layout. That makes it harder to fit larger components like batteries and advanced camera systems.
The leak claims this design would have forced Apple to make significant compromises in two areas the company cares deeply about:
- battery capacity
- camera performance
If the goal was simply to make the iPhone smaller, Apple reportedly believed it could achieve that through other design optimizations without adopting a flip form factor.
The book-style fold won instead
Apple ultimately shifted toward the book-style foldable design now rumored for the first foldable iPhone.
Recent leaks and CAD renders shared by Sonny Dickson appear to show a device that opens like a book, revealing a much larger inner display.
The renders suggest a design with:
- a dual-camera system on the rear
- squared edges on the hinge side
- a front camera embedded in the unfolded display
This approach gives Apple more internal space to work with, which could help maintain the company’s standards for performance, cameras, and battery life.
RELATED: iPhone Fold Leaks Reveal Huge Battery, Touch ID, and Bold Design Changes
Apple might still revisit the flip idea
Interestingly, the flip concept might not be gone forever. Recent reports indicate Apple is still exploring the possibility of a future flip-style iPhone as part of a broader foldable lineup.
For now, though, the company appears focused on launching its first foldable device with a larger book-style design that expands the iPhone into an almost tablet-like experience.
If the rumors hold true, Apple’s first foldable iPhone could become one of the company’s most significant hardware launches in years.
