Apple Is Working on a Clamshell Version of Its First Foldable iPhone, Report Says

The days of all iPhones being flat rectangles seem to be rapidly coming to an end. Speculation continues to intensify about Apple launching its first foldable phone in the latter months of 2026, and a new report suggests the company is also working on a future version — a clamshell flip.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, known for his accuracy on Apple scoops, says the clamshell model would be smaller than the book-style foldable that the company is also reportedly working on, and more square in shape. Don’t get too excited yet — Gurman says “the product is far from guaranteed to reach the market” — but if the foldable is a hit, the clamshell could follow soon after.

A clamshell phone is basically a flip phone that, like a clam, folds toward you via a hinge in the middle. Some foldable phones fold like a book, opening up to become almost a tablet, but a clamshell offers a more compact design for maximum portability. Prior to the advent of foldable screens, some might remember the popular flip phone Motorola StarTAC from the 1990s.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Apple is betting that its first foldable iPhone will be successful enough to generate real demand for the category and that customers will want additional shapes and sizes, much as they have with traditional slab-style iPhones,” Gurman wrote.

Apple had a strong year, with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max representing more than half of all iPhones sold in December. The company also reported record iPhone sales for the year.

Read more: Best Foldable Phones in 2026

But as CNET’s Andrew Lanxon notes, the clock is ticking on a company that trails the competition when it comes to foldables. Apple has not officially announced a release date, specs or even a name, but most leaks and rumors point to a launch late in 2026. Still, there have been iPhone foldable rumors for years.

If Apple is indeed working on a smaller clamshell foldable, it will have to differentiate from Motorola and Samsung, which already have square-shaped clamshells — the Motorola Razr and the Samsung Z Fold 7, respectively.

Phone style has its fans

Austin Evans, who has over 5.7 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he tries out all sorts of new gadgets and devices, says an iPhone clamshell “would be so cool.”

“I’ve been a big fan of the flip form factor ever since Samsung first launched the Z Flip back in 2020,” Evans told me. “In many ways, to me it feels like the evolution of the ‘normal’ smartphone. While the fold form factor is a great way to turn your device into a mini tablet, the flip form factor shrinks your phone down to a much more pocketable design.

“I really love this as a concept; you do get extra benefits like a phone that can stand on its own and an exterior display that helps to keep you from doomscrolling as effortlessly as a normal device. I like the Fold but the Flip is where my heart is.”

Gurman also speculated in his report that Apple may eventually make a larger, book-style foldable phone. Its first foldable reportedly will have a 5.5-inch display, which would be smaller than Samsung’s 6.5 inches.