Google has pre-announced the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a phone with a terrible name but 100% more hinges than the next iPhone — over to you, Apple

[iMore.com]

Google has teased the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a foldable phone that will launch in August so when will Apple get into the game?

Google has pre-announced the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a phone with a terrible name but 100% more hinges than the next iPhone — over to you, Apple : Read more

 

[erikbock]

The real question is. What is the actual market for a foldable iPhone?

 

[Just_Me_D]

I’ve only seen a few people with a foldable phone in public, and by few I mean less than 5. I see iPhones, Google Pixels and Samsung smartphones, but mostly iPhones.

With that being said, I’m not sitting around desiring a foldable iPhone and I don’t know anyone else who is.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I don't want a folding iPhone for the same reason I don't want a folio style case. I simply don't want to have to fold anything. I'm a grab and look person. Then there's the likely over the top price.

 

[FFR]

The real question is. What is the actual market for a foldable iPhone?

It’s a shrinking market, with newly launched models declining in sales.

I’ve only seen a few people with a foldable phone in public, and by few I mean less than 5. I see iPhones, Google Pixels and Samsung smartphones, but mostly iPhones.

With that being said, I’m not sitting around desiring a foldable iPhone and I don’t know anyone else who is.

Here in Europe I haven’t seen a single foldable device, never seen anyone with a pixel, haven’t seen any Samsungs recently either. It’s just iPhones.

Here in Italy on a remote island, even the taxi operators have all switched to iPhones and are using apples tap to pay for payment.

 

[SvenJ]

The real question is. What is the actual market for a foldable iPhone?

You might be on to something there. Odd on a site that caters to a device and manufacturer that sells a lot based on cache'. It's clearly sort of aspirational to own a folding phone, in some circles, just as it is to own an iPhone, in some circles.
Personally, I own a Surface Duo, and a Pixel Fold. Neither really makes my life substantially better than the plain slab iPhone and Pixel I own. I prefer the latter two. For Apple users, if you want a slightly bigger screen get an iPad Mini. You can do that and an iPhone for less than almost any foldable. Women can fit those in a purse, guys, get cargo pants.
For what it's worth, I think the Surface Duo is actually more useful than the Pixel Fold. MS did a super job in support for multitasking, which to me, is the best reason for a foldable, not more screen real estate. Shame they couldn't make a case for it.

 

[FFR]

You might be on to something there. Odd on a site that caters to a device and manufacturer that sells a lot based on cache'. It's clearly sort of aspirational to own a folding phone, in some circles, just as it is to own an iPhone, in some circles.
Personally, I own a Surface Duo, and a Pixel Fold. Neither really makes my life substantially better than the plain slab iPhone and Pixel I own. I prefer the latter two. For Apple users, if you want a slightly bigger screen get an iPad Mini. You can do that and an iPhone for less than almost any foldable. Women can fit those in a purse, guys, get cargo pants.
For what it's worth, I think the Surface Duo is actually more useful than the Pixel Fold. MS did a super job in support for multitasking, which to me, is the best reason for a foldable, not more screen real estate. Shame they couldn't make a case for it.

I wouldn’t call foldables “aspirational” or try to compare it to the iPhone or Apple.

Consumers seem to try it out of curiosity, then promptly move back to a slab phone, usually switching to a different brand after that experience.

After 5 years, It’s a fast shrinking market of less than 1% and that’s with the generous 50%-60% firesale discounts offered with a trade in at launch and throughout the year. “Aspirational” brands typically don’t offer a discount, or in Microsoft’s case deprecate the product entirely.

 

[erikbock]

It’s a shrinking market, with newly launched models declining in sales.

Here in Europe I haven’t seen a single foldable device, never seen anyone with a pixel, haven’t seen any Samsungs recently either. It’s just iPhones.

Here in Italy on a remote island, even the taxi operators have all switched to iPhones and are using apples tap to pay for payment.

Exactly. Apple is a marketing company plain and simple. If their customer base really wants one and it is a significant number of the customers they will come out with it. If they don't see the market being significant enough they won't. Of course they have screwed up before so it could really be a crap shoot.

 

[erikbock]

I’ve only seen a few people with a foldable phone in public, and by few I mean less than 5. I see iPhones, Google Pixels and Samsung smartphones, but mostly iPhones.

With that being said, I’m not sitting around desiring a foldable iPhone and I don’t know anyone else who is.

I have a friend that has the Samsung flip and his wife has the foldable. Funny thing is they migrated from iPhone to Android. That's the thing I question them most on.