Apple Develops a Foldable Clamshell iPhone

Apple is building prototypes of at least two iPhones that fold widthwise like a clamshell, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. If Apple ends up launching a foldable iPhone, it would be one of the biggest hardware design changes in the product’s history.

Foldable phones can be smaller and more portable than typical smartphones and take photos without the help of a stand when they are unfolded at a 90-degree angle. Such phones have become more common after Samsung Electronics released the Galaxy Fold in 2019. Motorola, Google and a number of Chinese brands have since released their own foldable devices, but they are relatively niche because of their high retail cost and fragility compared to traditional smartphones.