Apple’s iPhone Fold could bring iPad-style multitasking to your pocket
Apple’s rumoured foldable could behave like a cross between an iPhone and an iPad when opened
Apple’s long-rumoured foldable handset – unofficially dubbed the iPhone Fold – is starting to sound a lot more like a hybrid device than the sort of traditional entry you’d find on our list of the best smartphones.
According to a new report by Bloomberg (via MacRumors), the upcoming iPhone Fold could introduce iPad-style multitasking when opened up, letting you run two apps side by side on the same screen.
We’ve seen similar side-by-side multitasking on folding Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, which lets users have multiple apps open on-screen for easier multitasking.
Bloomberg claims the interface on the rumoured iPhone Fold will shift depending on how the device is being used. When folded shut, the phone will behave much like a normal iPhone. Open it up, though, and the larger display will switch to a layout more reminiscent of an iPad, with apps able to sit next to each other and sidebars appearing in supported apps.
Folding screen aside, this revamped interface will be a big change in itself. No iPhone currently allows true split-screen multitasking – beyond features like picture-in-picture video – so the iPhone Fold could introduce the first proper multi-app interface on Apple’s smartphones.
The layout makes sense when you consider the device’s expected size. Reports suggest the foldable iPhone will open into a display approaching the dimensions of an iPad Mini, with earlier rumours pointing to an inner screen of around 7.8 inches. Apple is also said to be opting for a wider 4:3 aspect ratio, which would naturally lend itself to side-by-side apps, video viewing, and tablet-style workflows.
When closed, the device should look far more familiar. The outer screen is expected to function like a regular iPhone display, letting you run apps normally without opening the phone.
There could be some interesting hardware compromises, though. The foldable reportedly won’t include Face ID, instead relying on a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. Apple is also said to be sticking with a dual-camera system on the rear, rather than a triple-lens setup, due to space constraints inside the folding design.
Earlier rumours – including leaked CAD files that surfaced earlier this week – have hinted at a book-style foldable design, similar in concept to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. Those renders showed a device with two cameras on the rear, and a hinge layout that results in two rounded corners and two squared ones when folded.
If accurate, the overall design could see the iPhone Fold acting as a traditional phone when closed, before expanding into something much closer to a compact tablet when opened.
Despite the iPad-inspired interface, the device is expected to run iOS rather than iPadOS, meaning it won’t support the full range of multitasking tools found on Apple’s tablets or run native iPad apps. Developers will reportedly be given tools to adapt existing apps to the wider layout.
Apple hasn’t officially confirmed any foldable plans yet, of course. But with rumours pointing to a 2026 debut, it seems increasingly likely that Apple’s long-awaited entry into the foldable phone market may finally be getting close. Watch this space…
Esat Dedezade
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