It is one of the largest companies in the world, but Apple is one of the few technology companies that has not yet introduced a foldable device.
That may be about to change soon, however, because Apple is reportedly preparing its first foldable iPhone, following in the footsteps of Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola.
Now, MailOnline has turned to AI sensation ChatGPT to imagine what the so-called ‘iPhone Flip’ will look like.
According to the chatbot, the high-end device will have a flexible OLED display with ultra-thin bezels and a polished titanium finish.
Similar to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip, it has a horizontal fold in the middle of the main screen and a smaller screen for use when folded.
“This envisioned foldable iPhone represents a balance between innovation and Apple’s iconic design principles,” says ChatGPT.
“It features impeccable design with high-quality materials and innovative features.”
Although this image is just an AI-generated prediction, 2025 could be the year Apple finally introduces the first foldable iPhone.
ChatGPT’s artist’s impression shows a device similar to its rival Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which was first launched in 2020.
For its prediction, ChatGPT analyzed current rumors, technology trends and “speculative reports” about the upcoming foldable to create this new artistic impression.
In particular, it shows an iPhone with a horizontal fold that runs from left to right, similar to the rival Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which was first launched in 2020.
According to ChatGPT, it has a “large OLED display that extends across the entire front when open” with a premium stainless steel frame around the edge.
The chatbot says: “The screen is sleek, with minimal bezels and a gentle crease in the middle when unfolded.
“It has rounded edges and a matte back finish, perhaps available in graphite, silver or a new deep blue.”
However, the iPhone’s hinge mechanism is much more visible compared to that of the Samsung Galaxy Flip or the Honor Magic V3.
In fact, it looks like there is a considerable gap in the center of the screen, as if the manufacturer has just joined two square screens together.
ChatGPT claims that the hinge mechanism is “visible yet elegant, giving the phone a refined and high-end look.”
According to a leaker, Apple’s internal executives are accelerating work on the foldable device and have entered a “formal development process.”
The impression of ChatGPT is similar to that of its rival Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which was first launched in 2020. Pictured is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, launched in 2024.
“The exterior combines shiny glass and titanium, maintaining Apple’s signature material combination.”
ChatGPT also says that the foldable iPhone features a triple camera system with a LiDAR scanner for “better depth sensing and AR (augmented reality) experiences.”
LiDAR (light detection and ranging) measures distance by shooting a laser at a target and analyzing the reflected light, and helps AR applications understand a user’s position and movement in real time.
Like the iPhone 16 family launched in the fall, the foldable model will also likely include 5G support, longer battery life, and the new A18 chip, crucial for AI-intensive tasks.
As for the price, ChatGPT predicts that the foldable phone will be Apple’s most expensive phone to date.
Given that the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at £1,199/$1,199, the foldable variant could be priced between £1,499/$1,499 and £1,999/$1,999, it says.
Of course, ChatGPT itself admits that it can make mistakes, so it’s worth taking the AI’s prediction with a pinch of salt.
Naturally, Apple has long been silent on the status of its rumored foldable or when it might hit the market; MailOnline has contacted the company for comment.
It is the largest company in the world, but Apple is one of the few technology companies that has not yet presented a foldable device (file photo)
Motorola’s reinvented Razr foldable phone has a 6.2-inch foldable screen, which folds in half to close in the same way as older clamshell phones.
But according to a Korean tipster Yeux1122, Apple’s internal executives are speeding up work on the device. whose name is yet to be confirmed.
It will supposedly be revealed in 2025, possibly at WWDC in June or at its annual iPhone event in September, before launching in 2026.
Mark Gurman, a respected Apple insider based in California, has said that the device could be “the best Apple device to date and a game-changer.”
Meanwhile, Ming-Chi Kuo has said that the first foldable iPhone will have an 8-inch screen, much larger than the 6.86 inches of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities in Hong Kong, is known for getting information about Apple’s plans from his contacts within the company’s Asian supply chain.
If you are correct, it is more likely a ‘Fold’ (which folds vertically towards the center like a book) rather than a ‘Flip’ (clamshell style, as imagined by ChatGPT).
Unlike several of its rivals such as Samsung, Huawei and Motorola, Apple has yet to launch a foldable phone, although it has long been rumored to be working on one.
Apple appears to have filed patents for a foldable phone, similar to a flip phone, with a horizontal hinge in the middle.
Mark Gurman, a respected Apple insider based in California, has said that the device could be “the best Apple device to date and a game-changer.”
In 2019, Apple filed a patent showing what appears to be a foldable phone. In the patent you can see a closed device, similar to a folding phone, using a hinge in the middle.
In 2022, YouTubers in China created an impressive prototype of what the first foldable iPhone could look like.
The prototype, called iPhone V, folds a central hinge into the display and features silver iPhone lettering on the hinge, plus the iconic Apple icon on the back.
It was built by engineers over 200 days using an iPhone X and the folding mechanism of Motorola’s Razr.
However, CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood previously said there’s “really no need” for Apple to move in the foldable direction right now.
“You can rest assured that you have had flexible display technology in your labs for the last decade,” he told MailOnline.
“But there is currently no commercial imperative for Apple to take the risk of entering a niche market when the iPhone is so incredibly successful.”