This is the ‘iPhone Fold’ design that Apple rejected, says leaker

The latest foldable iPhone leaks reveal a wide, book-style folding device. But leaker Instant Digital says Apple was originally pursuing a different design, but rejected it. Here are the details.

iPhone with top-down flip design was pursued but later abandoned, at least temporarily

We’re only six months away from Apple’s first foldable iPhone launching. Reporting indicates the design is completely locked and Apple is moving steadily toward mass production.

But the book-style foldable we’re getting is substantially different from the design Apple pursued at first.

Reporting from July 2024 said that Apple’s first foldable iPhone would have a top-down folding design, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

By March 2025, however, the direction had reportedly changed in favor of a book-style fold.

Weibo leaker Instant Digital, in a new post, has an explanation as to why Apple rejected its initial flip design.

Here’s the translated post:

Apple abandoned its Flip phone design because most internally felt it was “unnecessary.” It didn’t create any new, essential usage scenarios; its biggest selling point was simply that it could be folded up and fit into a skinny jeans pocket, completely missing the point of Apple’s current hardware development focus.

The internal space of the small foldable phone was awkwardly divided in two by the hinge, making every inch precious. Battery capacity was limited, and significant compromises were made on camera performance… If the goal was simply to make the phone smaller, Apple would rather streamline its current [models].

Curiously, recent reporting indicates that Apple is again exploring the possibility of a flip-style design for a future iPhone model.

While no definitive actions have apparently been made, Apple seemingly still has a flip design in mind for a possible expansion of its lineup.

9to5Mac’s Take

I’ve always felt like the book-style folding design made more sense than an ‘iPhone Flip’ model. The opportunity for a 2-in-1 type device that lets you seamlessly move between iPhone-like and iPad-like experiences sounds compelling.

That said, I could definitely see flip designs becoming valuable in the future too. Users have consistently shown that they love large iPhone screens, and with a flip design, Apple can make the iPhone’s display even bigger without getting unwieldy in pockets.

If folding display technology becomes commonplace, it makes sense for Apple to have a diverse lineup of options for consumers.

What are your thoughts on an iPhone with a flip-style design? Let us know in the comments.

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