Apple's iPhone Flip may have just gotten one step closer to reality

Development on the foldable iPhone Flip has been very slow-moving based on what we’ve heard so far. Despite the first foldable phones being sold in 2018, iPhones have all remained firmly non-foldable. Fortunately, a new report suggests that we may be one step closer to seeing this phone actually go on sale.

One of the biggest unknowns regarding the iPhone Flip is where the foldable displays will be coming from. Reports and rumors suggest that Samsung and LG are the frontrunners, but nothing concrete has ever been reported. Now, though, sources claim that Apple may finally be close to deciding on where the all-important foldable display panels will come from.

This comes from a Naver blog account called “yeux1122”, citing sources within Apple’s supply chain. The report reiterates what we’ve heard in other supply chain reports, noting that suppliers all need to meet Apple’s strict technical requirements. Unsurprisingly, that’s also true of the foldable displays.

Apple reportedly expects the display supplier to maintain the current display standard, specifically relating to thickness, size and curvature radius. However it’s said that Apple wants improvements to durability and crease prevention. Yeux1122 says that domestic component manufacturers “are close to the level required by Apple,” though no names have been mentioned.

A final decision doesn’t seem to have been made, but Apple’s selection process is said to conclude between late February and early April. We’re not likely to hear about that until much later, assuming that information gets leaked at all.

Honestly, I’m just glad that progress is being made on the iPhone Flip because it feels like we’ve been hearing rumors and speculation for as long as foldable phones have existed. It’s about time Apple stopped procrastinating and actually made the phone. Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the foldable is now in the “planning stages” after entering the “formal development process.”

This means we won’t be seeing the phone for a few years, possibly in 2026 or 2027, according to some rumors. We’re also supposed to be seeing a foldable iPad at some point, perhaps in 2028, if the recently leaked Apple roadmap is to be believed.

We’ll have to wait and see to learn more about the iPhone Flip, and needless to say, don’t expect to hear anything substantial anytime soon. In the meantime you can keep up with all the latest news and rumors in our iPhone Flip hub.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here's what Samsung's tri-fold could be called — the latest information
• Apple could launch a new iCloud service as soon as this week — what we know about ‘Confetti’
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra torture test is a step backwards from last year’s model