Adam Kos When will Apple release its own foldable phone? This question is all the more interesting with the introduction of the Google Pixel Fold. If we look purely at the market in the home USA, there are actually only three players - Samsung, Motorola and Google, and because Apple is still waiting, it is losing more and more customers.
Even though many Chinese manufacturers already have their own jigsaws, they do not expand much beyond the borders of their homeland, and if they do, not even overseas. Since 2019, when Samsung launched the first Galaxy Z Fold, it has had enough time to establish itself as the leader it rightfully is in the world market. In the US market, the Google Pixel Fold is the first big competition for the Galaxy Z Fold4, because Motorola and its Razr series are flip designs.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
What is Apple still waiting for?
For many Apple fans, including us, it's quite a wonder why the company is letting others gain clear dominance in this segment. Although we already have many reports here about how Apple is preparing its puzzle, we haven't seen anything more concrete than speculation and approved patents or fan renders. We probably won't see it this year, most likely not even next year. And that's too long.
Galaxy from Flip4 vs. iPhone 13 for Max
Apple's long-standing argument for waiting has been that it is waiting for the market to mature. After all, we have seen this several times in history, most recently with the advent of 5G. But with flexible phones, the wait may not be worth it. This design is a great technological evolution, a reimagining of what a smartphone can be and it is a clear trend of the future, in both aspects of the form factor, i.e. the Fold and Flip type. Apple's late entry into this market will mean that it will have to catch up with Samsung, Google and Motorola and the rich Chinese production (at least in the European market). But where?
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Cannibalizing iPhones
This is perhaps the biggest problem, and that is that Apple is running out of time. This year, Samsung will introduce the 5th generation of its jigsaws, which are expected to eliminate most of the design flaws associated with their joint, and they will become really cool devices that look great too, because they will get rid of at least one serious object of their derision. Then when a customer buys a new Samsung puzzle, why should they buy an Apple puzzle in a year or two? The same goes for the Google Pixel Fold. If a customer buys this very flexible phone this year, why should they soon switch to an Apple solution?
Google Pixel Fold
Regardless of the form factor of the flexible iPhone Apple introduces, it will therefore be faced with a situation where it will be difficult to attract the owners of Samsung jigsaws, who generally do not go over to the competition, Google or even Motorola. It can thus "pick up" hesitant customers who will want a jigsaw at the time of introduction but will be deciding which one, and then those who would potentially only buy a new iPhone, but Apple's jigsaw appeals more to them. In addition, we are talking more about existing iPhone owners here, and this clearly means that Apple's puzzles would reduce sales of the company's classic phones. The longer Apple waits, the more wiggle room it gives other companies who can only profit from it, and that's just not good for it.
And why should Apple do such a stupid thing?
perhaps because the 12ProMax is tearing my pocket…