Apple’s foldable iPhone takes shape, and the M5 iPad Pro may get a surprise upgrade

Summary

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is expected to resemble the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but not be a copy of it.
Improvements Apple is reportedly focusing on for its foldable iPhone are a less visible crease and an improved hinge. Apple’s foldable iPhone isn’t expected until late 2026.
Apple could be adding a second front-facing camera to the M5 iPad Pro to appease both portrait and landscape mode users.

Samsung recently launched its newest foldable devices at its Galaxy Unpacked event in New York City, introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. The main attraction was the Fold 7, Samsung’s book-style foldable, which received numerous upgrades this year, including a notably thinner design, larger screens, and an improved hinge.

The Fold 7 is an impressive device, and after testing it myself for the past two weeks, I am impressed with what Samsung has accomplished. Naturally, with the Fold 7 attracting a lot of attention, many are now curious about what Apple will do with its long-rumored foldable iPhone, expected to launch next year. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it will “offer a similar design” to the Fold 7, and it may not “break any technological barriers or redefine the category.”

This could mean that Apple’s foldable iPhone might look like the Fold 7, with an Apple logo on the back. However, Gurman points out that there will be some key features that differentiate Apple’s foldable so it won’t feel like a copy, such as making the crease less visible and further improving the hinge mechanism beyond what Samsung has achieved with its Fold lineup over the years. With iOS 27, Apple is also expected to focus on software improvements tailored for its first foldable.

Gurman does not expect the foldable iPhone to “revolutionize the category,” but with Apple’s strong marketing and brand influence, he expects it could help make foldables more mainstream. However, that is if people are willing to pay the rumored $2,000 price tag. Apple’s foldable iPhone is rumored to launch in late 2026. What is expected to arrive much earlier is Apple’s next iPad Pro, which may feature an enhancement that appeals to users who mainly use the iPad in portrait mode.

Brand: Samsung
SoC: Snapdragon 8 Elite
Display: 6.5-inch 120Hz 2520 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED 2X Cover Display, 8-inch 120Hz 2184 x 1968 Dynamic OLED 2X Main Display
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Battery: 4,400mAh

Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 7 is its thinnest and lightest foldable yet.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung’s best foldable yet, but it’ll cost you $2,000

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung’s most impressive foldable ever. Its price? Not so much.

The M5 iPad Pro may get a second front-facing camera

Apple’s next iPad Pro is expected to launch later this year

When Apple released the M4 iPad Pro last year, it made a notable change to the design of its front-facing camera. It moved it from the top of the device to the side. This meant that when you used the tablet in landscape mode, the camera looked more directly at you rather than to the side. However, for users who primarily use the iPad Pro in portrait mode, this change made the camera more difficult to use.

According to Mark Gurman, Apple has devised a simple solution to the long-standing issue of where to place the iPad Pro’s front-facing camera. The fix? Reportedly, Apple might add a second front-facing camera at the top of the iPad Pro in addition to the camera on the portrait side, allowing both portrait and landscape users to use the front-facing camera exactly as they prefer.

Besides the additional front-facing camera and the new M5 chipset, the tablet is unlikely to have many other significant changes compared to the M4 iPad Pro.

I was pleased that Apple moved the front-facing camera on the M4 iPad Pro to the landscape side, as I’ve only ever used my iPad during meetings or FaceTime calls in landscape mode. However, I can imagine that some users who only ever use portrait mode probably find this change annoying. At least this is a way for Apple to accommodate both needs, and for a Pro model device, it’s a useful addition.

Apple’s M5 iPad Pro is expected to launch later this year. Besides the additional front-facing camera and the new M5 chipset, the tablet is unlikely to have many other significant changes compared to the M4 iPad Pro.