No longer the indisputable leader of smartphone innovation, Apple is set to follow in the footsteps of its biggest competitor.

Apple has settled on the design of a smartphone that can fold horizontally, with the product in development with suppliers, according to American tech-focused outlet The Information.

Rumours have circulated for years that Apple was working on a foldable smartphone, similar to Samsung’s immensely popular Galaxy series that launched in 2019.

In February, The Information reported Apple’s plans were firming up, although prototypes were still being tinkered with.

With the design now decided, Apple is reportedly still attempting to flatten the crease that is visible when the phone is unfolded, and to make the device thinner.

Although Apple has not confirmed any details, the ‘clamshell’-style phone is expected to be released by 2026 – about a decade after Samsung popularised the foldable smartphone.

Reports attribute the delay to the fragility of the design, as well as Apple’s attempts to make sure the devices retain the signature iPhone thinness which is being hampered by battery sizes and display components.

Apple has increasingly come under fire in recent years due to small changes between iPhone models despite higher prices.

Blend of nostalgia and convenience

Chinese manufacturer Royole is credited with releasing the world’s first foldable smartphone in 2012, but the Samsung foldable line seems to be the product that truly caught Apple on the back foot.

Despite initial concerns from consumers and tech aficionados over fragility and crease visibility, the popularity of foldable smartphones has increased rapidly.

The trend appears to have been partially driven by nostalgia, with the foldable design reminiscent of 2000s’ flip phones, along with convenience due to the smaller amount of space the devices take up when closed.

“Three years ago, Galaxy foldables could be summed up in a single word: Radical,” Samsung president and head of mobile experience business TM Roh wrote in a 2022 blog post.

“Very quickly, however, it became clear that this groundbreaking, flexible design fit perfectly into modern lifestyles.

“As a result, what was once a novelty three years ago, is now the preferred choice for millions.”

More competition over the years has resulted in a greater variety of prices, and there have been very successful marketing efforts.

Samsung is likely the most ubiquitous folding smartphone marketing presence, with the Galaxy line plastered on billboards, pushed into the hands of K-pop idols in sponsorship deals, and featured as bold product placements in TV shows.

This year, every athlete competing in the Olympics and Paralympics will receive a free special edition of the Samsung Galaxy Flip6.

That’s more than 14,000 athletes who will potentially spread the word about their exciting new freebie.

Popularity still rising

Global foldable smartphone shipments were up 49 per cent in this year’s first quarter compared to the same period in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research.

The biggest names in the foldable phone market include Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, Honor and Google.

Samsung has been the long-time leader of the trend, but Counterpoint Research reported Chinese giant Huawei overtook the Korean corporation for the top spot in quarterly global shipments this year.

‘Book-type’ designs (folding vertically instead of horizontally) are also gaining popularity, with shipments of the vertical design exceeding clamshells for the first time in 11 consecutive quarters.

The current foldable smartphone share of the shipped smartphone market reportedly remains about 1.4 per cent.