Apple is gearing up to make a strong entry into the foldable smartphone market, with predictions suggesting it will launch its first foldable iPhone this September. While numerous rumors have circulated about the device's design and appearance, the operating system and software features of this new device remain shrouded in mystery. In this article, we'll review what we know so far and address the most important question: Will the Apple Pencil work with this iPhone?
Screen size: between phone and iPad
Leaks suggest the foldable iPhone will be 5.4 inches when closed and will transform into a tablet measuring approximately 7.6 inches when unfolded. This means that when unfolded, its screen will be very close in size to an iPad Mini.
Here a crucial question arises: since the internal screen will be roughly the size of an iPad, will this iPhone run on iOS or iPadOS? Or will Apple create a new system that combines the two? So far, there is no definitive answer, but reports indicate that the upcoming iOS 27 update may lay the software foundation for these foldable devices.
Will we see the Apple Pencil on the "foldable iPhone"?
With such a large screen, the device is expected to support multitasking features, such as running two apps simultaneously. This is where the Apple Pencil comes in; supporting the pencil on a 7.6-inch screen seems perfectly logical and useful for taking quick notes, drawing, signing documents, or even precisely editing photos and videos.
Some may remember Steve Jobs' famous quote: "Nobody wants a pen," but the pen has evolved a lot since 2007. Today's Apple pen is not just an ordinary piece of plastic, but a precise tool that gives you a natural feeling as if you are using a real pen.
What are the competitors doing?
SamsungApple's foldable devices used to support the S Pen, but reports indicate that its latest Z Fold 7 may drop this feature to make the device thinner and lighter. This might make Apple hesitant to include the stylus if it would affect the device's thickness. However, some users prefer the stylus, so if Apple adds it and Samsung drops it, Apple could gain these users, and vice versa.
GoogleWith its foldable Pixel Fold phone, Google didn't create its own stylus, but allowed the use of styluses from other companies. Apple might follow a similar approach and make stylus support an optional feature, rather than a core part of the device's marketing strategy.
Technical challenges: Slimness versus features
One of the biggest obstacles to stylus support is the device's thinness. Rumors suggest the foldable iPhone will be incredibly thin when unfolded, at around 4.5mm, making it even thinner than the latest iPad Pro.
This extreme thinness might leave no room for the internal components necessary for the stylus to function, specifically the touch-sensitive screen layers. Furthermore, the thinness might force Apple to abandon Face ID and replace it with fingerprint recognition due to the lack of space for advanced cameras.
If Apple decides to market this device simply as an iPhone with a larger screen, it's unlikely we'll see stylus support, as Apple prefers to clearly differentiate the phone from the iPad. However, if it's marketed as a hybrid device combining the two, the chances of stylus support increase.
Even if the first generation of foldable iPhones did not support the Apple Pencil due to technical limitations, it may be a feature we see in future generations as screen technology develops.
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