iPhone Fold design gets compared to iPhone 17 Pro Max — and it's shockingly compact for a foldable phone

The iPhone Fold is, without a doubt, shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated gadgets of the year. Earlier this month, a leak revealed what's reportedly a dummy unit of the phone — but now, a new leak gives us more insight into its size compared to existing models.

This time the news comes from YouTuber Vadim Yuryev, who shared a collection of photos and a video of the device on X. While Samsung and Google have chased a tall and thin design language for their respective foldables, Apple appears to be pursuing a much wider form factor.

Based on the photos, the iPhone Fold might turn out to be way more pocketable than initially thought.

Starting with the photo of the iPhone Fold placed on top of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, it appears to be just as wide as the current flagship model — stretching nearly the entire width of the iPhone 17 Pro Max in landscape when unfolded.

However, the iPhone Fold dummy unit is clearly about twice as tall in this orientation. As I’ve mentioned previously, this aspect ratio could make it better suited for watching video content, as it shouldn’t have as much letterboxing compared to the experience on existing foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Against the 8.3-inch iPad mini, it looks to be almost an even match in terms of size — with the tablet’s bezels being the main differentiating factor. So far, rumors hint at the iPhone Fold packing a 5.5-inch outer screen and a much larger 7.8-inch inner panel when unfolded. This would essentially give it a 4:3 aspect ratio, which again makes it more suitable for content consumption.

Lastly, I want to highlight the video showing Yuryev holding the dummy unit. In it, he runs his thumb across different parts of the outer screen to demonstrate its reachability. For a device that unfurls to reveal a 7.8-inch screen, it’s remarkably pocketable and manageable for one-handed use. I can’t say the same for many modern phones that are so tall they make it nearly impossible to reach all four corners with one thumb.

Further images give us an idea of the side of the device when folded. A Touch ID-integrated power button and a Camera Control button are visible on the right side, with volume buttons along the top, similar to the iPad mini. Face ID is not expected to be featured due to space constraints.

Of course, these are all juicy bits that have me excited for Apple’s first foldable. It will be interesting to see if it indeed debuts alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max at Apple’s usual fall event, or if it gets delayed until next year. Either way, it’s telling that a foldable iPhone is finally becoming a reality.

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