In 2020, Samsung unveiled its flip phone, the Z Flip. In 2023, Google has unveiled its answer to the flip phone – the Pixel Fold. The flow on effect is real. Then a year later, Google announced that the Pixel Fold was not just a gimmick; it was being integrated into its flagship phone lineup.
Major tech companies everywhere have been gradually launching their own solution to the updated flip phone over the last decade. This Y2K-inspired format is firmly making it’s way into mainstream tech, meaning your next phone might very well be one that flips. We’ve come full circle and I’m not mad about it. But, there is still one notable except: Apple. Rumours are swirling and speculation is rife. Given the rise and rise rise of the flip phone, will 2026 be the year that Apple adds its own interpretation to the iPhone lineup?
Who’s next to launch a flip phone?
Motorola has the Razr Plus, Oppo has the N2 Flip, OnePlus has the Open, Huawei has the P50 Pocket, Nubia has the Flip 5g. With so many brands already in this space, the big question is when will Apple join the party?
Speculation has been rife for years around Apple’s alleged plans for a flip or foldable phone. In 2026, there is more chatter than ever. You only have to Google “Apple Flip Phone” to see just how many rumours are already swirling. Unconfirmed claims of “code names”, people alleging they’ve seen leaked prototypes and potential release dates are bubbling away in a cauldron of conjecture. The popular theory is that the potential device will be a foldable notebook-style phone with a vertical hinge. But there are plenty of rumours that allege a clamshell flip is on the way too.
Apple is notoriously secretive, with its launches being some of the most eagerly anticipated tech announcements of the whole year. The only thing I’m certain of: we’ll only know the true details of a potential Apple flip phone if and when the company wants to share them.
Of course, if you had to guess, the eventual introduction of an Apple iteration of a flip seems more and more like a certainty each day.
Y2K reigns supreme
You’d have to be living under a rock to have missed the resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic. It has permeated everything from the fashion we wear, the movies being remade and the celebrities at the forefront of the zeitgeist. There’s also been an undeniable influence on tech. Some have even been ditching their big screen smart phone in favour of 2000s-era flip phone. Driven by popularisation of retro tech, but also a desire to be less absorbed by screens, the adoption of these older style phones has been swift. As we saw, when Nokia rereleased its famous 2660, it was a near immediate sellout.
But of course, a return to analogue is not going to be for everyone. Smart phones still prevail as the most popular choice when upgrading to a new phone. With the Y2K aesthetic showing no signs of dying out, the new era of flip phones (a la Z Flip and Pixel Fold) seem to meet the brief for everyone. You only have to run a search through Google Trends to see the increase in search popularity for this type of device.
So, be ready for your next phone to flip – and for extra authenticity points, don’t forget to add a phone charm.
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