The Foldable iPhone Should Be Apple’s Next Fancy Gadget

Source Domain: www.pcmag.com

I didn’t think any iPhone users would be interested in what I covered last week at the Motorola Razr event in West Hollywood. The new family of Razr foldables comes in a variety of colors and textures, including leather and acetate, and, on the premium side, suede-like Alcantara, which you’ll see all over the Razr Ultra. It’s a nice departure from the slab of ceramic lining most smartphones, but what was particularly interesting was the small influx of comments on social media about how attractive the new flip phones are, especially from people I know who are typically Apple faithful.

If you’re familiar with Motorola’s reprise of its iconic Razr flip phone as a foldable, you know that its finishes and specification offerings aren’t anything new compared with previous years. You also know this year’s foldables are slightly pricier due to current market conditions. That doesn’t matter when the phones themselves are iconic little gadgets in their own right. It brings to mind Apple’s much-anticipated foray into foldables later this year.

Rumors of the so-called iPhone Ultra, the suspected first-generation book-style foldable from Apple, describe a device finished in the company’s usual clean, minimalist design aesthetic: a titanium chassis, a rail-thin frame, barely a bezel, and a high price tag to match its pedigree. But that’s boring! Samsung already did this with the Galaxy Z Fold series. What Apple should do instead is embrace its own legacy of colorful, playful designs and release a foldable iPhone aimed at the young, the young at heart, and those who know the brand as the rainbow logo from back in the day.

Imagine Cute, Folding iPhones

Instead of a folding iPhone 17 Pro, with its giant honking triple periscope lenses and titanium enclosure, imagine a folding device that channels the flirty spirit of the iMac G3, the iPod Nano, or the MacBook Neo. Most of Apple’s current design language is obsessed with metallic finishes and clean lines,…

Source