Rumored iPhone Fold Missing Five Key Features
Apple plans to officially release its first foldable phone, the iPhone Fold, this fall. According to leaks, the starting price of the new device is expected to exceed $2000, equivalent to approximately 13,700 yuan. It will break the price record for iPhones, becoming the most expensive iPhone model ever.
Despite the high price, in pursuit of an extremely thin and light experience, the iPhone Fold has made several compromises in terms of functionality. Compared to the concurrently released iPhone 18 Pro, this flagship device, priced at over 10,000 yuan, is missing five key features, sparking heated discussion in the market.
First is the disappearance of the customizable Action button. The latest mockups show that the iPhone Fold only retains the conventional power button and volume buttons, canceling the traditional mute switch and not equipping the Action button popularized since the iPhone 15 Pro. This makes it the only high-end Apple device in recent years to cut this design.
Second is the absence of MagSafe magnetic absorption functionality. In the iPhone 18 Pro series, the magnet array remains standard, but the iPhone Fold had to abandon the internal charging coil to compress the thickness of one side to an astonishing 4.5 millimeters. This means the device will not support MagSafe magnetic charging.
Due to the ultra-thin body being unable to accommodate the complex Face ID structured light components, the iPhone Fold will abandon facial recognition and instead adopt a side fingerprint solution. This is also the first time Apple has enabled Touch ID functionality on a top-tier flagship model since the iPhone 7 in 2016.
In terms of the imaging system, the iPhone Fold has also been significantly streamlined. Mockups show it is only equipped with two rear lenses, a 48 million pixel main camera and an ultra-wide angle lens, and does not include a telephoto lens. This means its telephoto capabilities will be significantly behind its domestic foldable competitors.
Finally, there is a radical adjustment to the communication design. The iPhone Fold completely cancels the physical SIM card slot and fully supports eSIM technology. This design further squeezes internal space, but also puts higher demands on operator compatibility in different regions.
This strategy of subtracting features and adding price makes the iPhone Fold a highly controversial product. It is Apple's initial attempt in the foldable screen field and currently appears more like an expensive work showcasing the limits of craftsmanship, rather than a performance powerhouse pursuing a well-rounded experience.