The iPhone Air represented perhaps the most significant advancement in iPhone design since the iPhone X. The iPhone Fold, set to launch next year, promises to be an even more substantial transformation.
Indications suggest that the iPhone Fold will be the best foldable smartphone ever released, but there is a significant issue – and it’s nearly the most apparent one.
### Apple has been waiting eight years, but that’s acceptable
Apple is known for not striving to be the first entrant into the market with new technology, preferring instead to be the best. The company observes and waits as competitors release their products, learns from their errors, and then aims to introduce the best possible version of the technology.
Nonetheless, the time Apple has spent observing the world of foldable smartphones has been remarkably lengthy. Samsung introduced its first folding phone seven years ago, meaning Apple will be joining the fray around eight years later.
The prudence of waiting became quickly evident when the initial Galaxy Fold was a total failure. The company began by sending out review units, which tech reviewers immediately identified significant flaws in. Samsung reacted by postponing the launch and retrieving review devices. It eventually canceled customer orders for the phone and issued refunds.
Two design flaws lingered even in later generations. First, a prominently visible and unattractive crease in the center of the opened screen. Second, the display was notably susceptible to damage from dust and debris getting stuck during folding.
It was only this year that Apple reportedly felt satisfied with the display quality of iPhone fold prototypes after assigning its engineers the task of eliminating the crease.
### The price is the clear issue
The clear concern regarding the iPhone Fold is its expected price. It appears to be around double the cost of an iPhone Pro model, with projections going as high as $2,500. The latest estimates are well towards the upper limit.
This is costly even by the standards of Android foldable phones, which are also rated at high prices. Considering that customers seemed hesitant to pay a premium for the sleek design of the iPhone Air, it raises valid questions about how many would be inclined to spend over $2,000 for the iPhone Fold.
Indeed, this seems to place it in the same realm as the Vision Pro; likely appealing only to the most passionate early adopters. However, that’s not what I perceive as the main concern here.
### The larger challenge
While the price itself is a significant issue, the company usually excels at attracting affluent consumers. For me, the primary challenge lies in the interplay between price and durability.
I’m willing to invest a lot in a well-equipped MacBook Pro because I anticipate using it for about five years. However, while some individuals keep their iPhones for five years or longer, it’s less common. Certainly, among 9to5Mac readers, it’s typically more usual to upgrade our iPhones every one to two years.
That fact alone isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker. Premium Apple products generally retain their value well, so if you were to sell a MacBook after two years, the resale value would cover a significant portion of a new purchase. However, I seriously doubt that will be true for the iPhone Fold.
In fact, the manufacturing costs of folding phones are expected to decline swiftly over the next few years, leading to a drop in retail prices, while the resale value of a 2026 model will likely diminish rapidly. Anyone purchasing a first-generation model will face the dilemma of keeping it for several years to get their value or taking a substantial financial loss to upgrade to a newer model a couple of years later.
It’s this dilemma that I believe presents the greatest difficulty in encouraging consumers to invest in the first-generation iPhone Fold.
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