Evolution of Foldable Phones: From Classic Flip Models to Modern Innovations

Apple announced the upcoming iPhone Duo on September 9, featuring a larger, flexible display. Equipped with an A20 Pro chipset, 12 GB of RAM, and a 7.6-inch full display, this marks Apple’s first foray into foldable technology since the original iPhone launch in 2007. Reactions from the tech community have been mixed, with some seeing it as a long-awaited advancement and others raising concerns over its expected high price.

Despite Apple’s late entry into the foldable market, numerous devices have already established a presence, primarily through South Korea’s Samsung and China’s Huawei.

Foldable phones gained popularity in the 2000s, often seen as status symbols. American telecom giant Motorola created the first foldable phone, the Motorola MicroTAC, in 1989 and later released the Motorola StarTAC in 1996, featuring a small screen and a clamshell design. This model set the standard for future flip phones, inspiring brands like Nokia, Samsung, LG, and Ericsson to introduce their own versions.

Motorola solidified its dominance in the flip phone era with the RAZR V3 in 2004, known for its sleek metallic design. Other notable models included the Nokia 6260 with a twisting screen and the Samsung SGH-E720, which featured a camera and music capabilities. However, the launch of the first iPhone in 2007 shifted consumer preferences toward touchscreen phones with larger displays, leading to the decline of flip and slider models.

The 2010s saw a resurgence in foldable concepts, merging durability with practicality. Although companies like Samsung and LG experimented with foldable designs, Lenovo was the first to release a bendable smartphone, the Lenovo C Plus, in 2016. Chinese manufacturers quickly followed, with ZTE's Axon M in 2017 and Royole’s FlexPai, the first commercial foldable smartphone, facing criticism for its software and design issues.

Samsung made a significant impact with the Galaxy Fold in 2019, featuring a book-style design and a small 4.6-inch display when folded. The subsequent Galaxy Flip series introduced a modern twist on classic clamshell phones. However, their steep prices, with the Galaxy Fold exceeding ₱100,000 and the Galaxy Flip around ₱80,000, raised concerns among consumers.

Motorola revisited its iconic RAZR branding in 2019 with a foldable smartphone. Meanwhile, Huawei emerged as a key player in the foldable market, releasing the world's first tri-fold smartphone, enhancing its reputation in this competitive arena.

As the iPhone Duo prepares for release on October 23 at nearly ₱160,000, it will enter a competitive foldable market alongside Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 and Huawei’s Mate XT, signaling a new chapter in smartphone innovation.