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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple is rumored to release a foldable iPhone in 2026.
- The foldable will need to be able to multitask well.
- iOS will need a significant overhaul to support it.
The long-awaited (but still rumored) iPhone Fold will have an all-new design for Apple’s “most significant overhaul” in the history of iPhones, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Potentially coming in 2026, it debuts at a time when rival phone makers have found a way to minimize the crease, add versatile cameras and make their foldables as durable as slab phones. The all-new iPhone form factor will need more than a novelty factor to be actually useful.
Also: Apple reportedly working on ‘Ultra’ lineup of devices in 2026 – including this foldable iPhone
Apple’s foldable iPhone is rumored to be a wide-screen device, like the Oppo Find N2 and the original Google Pixel Fold. The wider aspect ratio will help it minimize letterboxing (thick black borders on top and bottom) when watching videos. However, the current iOS system is limited for big-screen phones, including the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Samsung’s Fold 7 on top of iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Jason Hiner/ZDNET
The Apple iPhone Fold will need true multitasking capabilities (something that doesn’t exist on current iPhones) to utilize its foldable design. Samsung, Oppo, Vivo and others have already done it, and if there ever were a time for Apple to add split-screen and multiwindow features on iOS — it would be now.
The closest you can get to this is with the picture-in-picture mode on iOS 26. However, it isn’t the same as, say, running two apps side-by-side on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or three apps on the Oppo Find N6.
I have long argued that Apple isn’t utilizing the 6.9-inch screen space on its biggest iPhones — the iPhone Fold could finally change that. But it has its work cut out for it.
iOS will need an overhaul
iPadOS 26 runs multiple windows on top of each other, but requires more polishing to be intuitive.
Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET
According to another report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s foldable iPhone will feature an “iPad-like interface when opened.” This could make multitasking easier by supporting two apps side-by-side. For context, no iPhone to date has supported running multiple apps on the screen simultaneously. As per the report, many apps will have sidebars on the left of the screen.
If the iPhone Fold runs an iPad-like iOS experience, it might also be prone to iPad-like annoyances. Apple needs to fine-tune gestures to make them intuitive on its foldable iPhone; in its current state, multitasking on iPadOS 26 isn’t the most polished.
Also: iPad Air (M4, 2026) review: I benchmarked Apple’s tablet with the Pro model, and it’s very close
For example, when I swipe down to access the Control Center on my iPad Air, the system registers it as a swipe to resize the app window. Similarly, I struggle to add pop-up windows for quick actions. This isn’t a problem when I’m multitasking on current-gen Android foldable phones.
The iPhone Fold also needs better window management and a Samsung-like quick action sidebar that allows drag and drop for pop-up windows. I don’t use it often, but it comes in handy when I’m doing my taxes or invoices and need the Calculator to be on top of my current screen.
Also: Want a foldable iPhone? Apple thinks you and millions of others will next year
Apple already has Stage Manager, which was recently copied by Vivo for its Atomic Workbench feature on the X Fold 5. With this feature, for example, it’s great to have reference articles one tap away while working in a Doc file. A similar execution would make the iPhone Fold much more useful for productivity-focused uses.
Productivity-focused features run better on the taller foldables, like the Z Fold 7 and Honor Magic V5. However, when unfolded, those phones aren’t good for video consumption. The iPhone Fold has an opportunity to bridge the gap between the two use cases. You could, theoretically, watch videos with minimal letterboxing in landscape mode and then turn it to vertical orientation for productivity-focused use.
