For the last few years now there have been many rumours that Apple could be creating their first ever foldable phone which would rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Flip Series and Google Pixel Fold Series, however, although this product has always been in talks, there has never been any clear sign that production was set. However with the popularity of folding phones growing over the recent years due to the fact they are flip phones that are smartphones, it is about time Apple joined in with the trend of reviving the classic flip phone before they fall behind the rest of the competition. Although the iPhone 15’s release was a success much like the previous year's release of the iPhone 14, and the fact the iPhone 16 is releasing later in 2024, Apple fans have been waiting for something a little different recently, and a flip phone could be just that.

So with the talk of the Apple flip phone growing, it’s time to take a look at what we could expect from this rumoured tech, giving our opinions on what we could be seeing within the next few years. Please note all information in this blog is rumoured, none of it is confirmed and all details in this blog are likely to change.  

Related blog: iPhone 16: Everything We Know So Far

Will Apple make a flip phone?

To begin with, let’s talk about the most important aspect of a flip phone, its display and screen. There have been talks the flip phone will be bigger than a regular iPhone, possibly when flipped/folded out matching the size of an iPad Mini at approximately 8” which would rival the Galaxy Z Fold 4 size. To keep the display safe, it has been rumoured that a self-closing hinge has been created that would self-close when the phone is dropped ensuring the screen stays safe. Speaking of the screen type, there has been no confirmed information released on the type of screen we could be seeing, although fans are assuming we may see the classic OLED or LCD screen available for this model.

As well as this, most fans are assuming Apple will release multiple versions of their flip phone like they did with the other iPhones with the Pro models, these other versions may have slightly different screen types and screen sizes, whether this is bigger or smaller in size. More information will be revealed on this when it’s released…

What will Apple flip look like:

In terms of the way the phone will look, there has been a lot of speculation that the iPhone flip phone may be similar to the Galaxy Z Flip models, with the external notification screen, but with some added classic Apple touches like their phone’s flat edges, iPhone triple camera lens layout and the rumoured dynamic island.

In our opinion, it seems quite disappointing how the phone is rumoured to be designed. If it follows our above description, the model won’t stand out from the current competition and will just be another regular flip phone. We think Apple need to do something different with their model to stand out from the competition who have already been doing it for years.

How much will the Apple flip phone cost?

As we mentioned, since the first Samsung Flip Phone’s release back in 2020, all Apple fans have been saying is when will we see this from Apple? And considering for the last 4 years rumours of an Apple Flip Phone have been in the talks, there has never been any discussion on what price range we could be seeing. This leads people to believe the release will come later rather than sooner if a price point hasn’t even been made. This means that all we can currently go off to estimate a price is the price of the current iPhones and the flip phones competition.

• As of writing this, the most recent Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Series is priced at over £1,000 on Samsungs official website, and at the lowest price of £500 on numerous refurbished websites.
• As of writing this, the Google Pixel Fold 5G model is priced at over £1,300 on the Google Pixel's official website, and at the lowest price of around £700 on numerous refurbished websites.
• As of writing this, the most recent iPhone 15 Pro Max is priced at just under £1,200 on Apple's official website.

Taking all this information into account, we can estimate the flip phone may be at a similar price to the iPhone 15 model, definitely hitting that £1000 bracket. If Apple does create a Pro version of the Flip Phone then the price would increase, however maybe if they released a budget flip option we could see this at around £900.

What is a rollable phone?

But will Apple even release a flip/fold phone? As we discussed in previous blogs there have been lots of talks about rollable phones (with a rollable phone hitting the market later in 2024), so could Apple take on this completely unique route and produce something original?

We are aware of how Apple like to keep ahead of the competition, and currently, they are behind in the race for the flip phone. If they created a rollable phone this would automatically put them ahead of competition like Samsung and Google completely changing the design of any phone created before. Maybe they are awaiting the release of the upcoming rollable phone to see how it performs to therefore improve their current model? We hope that Apple decides to follow this route rather than the classic flip phone design, it would set them apart from the competition.

Will there be an iPhone Flip in 2024?

UPDATE ON TUESDAY 14TH MAY 2024 - With the iPad Air and Pro models confirmed for release later this month, we expect once the iPads have rolled out production for the iPhone 16 especially and possible flip phone will begin. It has been rumoured that Apple are working on a folding iPad which we are more likely to see from Apple within the next couple years before the Flip Phone. We assume if this plan follows suit we won't see the flip phone until at least 2026/2027, as the folding iPad will serve as a tester to see if a smartphone edition is worth producing. We will be keeping track of any new information revealed about the flip phone's release date and announcement date, so make sure to come back for regular updates.

Related blog: Rollable Phones In 2024

Conclusion:

So what do you think about the Apple Flip Phone? As we mentioned, all information in this blog is rumoured however we cannot wait to see what the next few years hold for this device. But will Apple soar ahead with a completely original design concept or will the just follow the trend of the Samsung and Google phones? Let us know in the comments! We have plenty of cheap flip phones available on our website like the flip phones Samsung. Make sure to check them out on our website.