More hinges, fewer regrets.
More hinges, fewer regrets.
When Apple's foldable iPhone finally drops, it will set the standard for foldable phones in most people's minds for years to come. One hinge, one vertical fold, double the screen. And that's fine. Just so very unimaginative. There are already a gazillion single-fold, or bookfold, phones on the market. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold and the Oppo Find N5 to name just two. Good phones, yes. But have they changed how we use smartphones for work, rest or play? Nope. A singlefold iPhone would just be more of the same. What's genuinely exciting is the trifold format. Two hinges, two folds, screen real estate galore. The case for it practically writes itself. First, optionality: use just the amount of screen the job demands. Folded up, half-open, or fully unfolded. Second, potential: a trifold creates entirely new design and interaction questions. What is a two- or three-screen moment? How do we design for it? These are the kinds of problems Apple used to love defining. Third, the all-in-one argument: the fully unfolded Galaxy Z TriFold (launched Dec '25) becomes a 10" screen, enough to replace a tablet or laptop for most of us. A trifold iPhone could do the same, just more elegantly. Now, that third point is double edged. If a trifold replaces an iPad or a MacBook Air, Apple cannibalises its own lineup. But this is precisely the kind of challenge Apple has thrived on in the past. The iPhone ate the iPod. The iPad ate MacBooks. Going straight to multifold and nailing it when the rest of the industry is still working on making single fold seem relevant would be the kind of one-upmanship Apple relishes.
Links ⫘ Pearly kings and queens of London in their 150th year "Not just anyone can become a pearly, the privilege of a title has to be passed down or earned. Children are raised as a pearly prince or princess, eventually taking their parents’ titles. Once in the pearlies, members make a lifelong commitment to raising money for charity." My favorite track right now. ⫘ The pitch deck is dead. Write a pitch.md instead. "A pitch.md file is for a world where the first reader might not be human at all, and where the second reader, the partner who actually writes checks, wants substance they can verify rather than styling they can admire." Over to you!
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