With Apple's first foldable iPhone yet to launch, second foldable tipped to be clamshell

While uncertainty is continuously looming over Apple's first foldable iPhone, likely named iPhone Fold, the company is rumoured to be exploring the second-gen foldable iPhone.

A recent report by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg's famous tech reporter, made a dazzling disclosure, claiming that Apple is considering a "square, clamshell-style foldable phone."

Gurman also stressed keeping in mind that this device is "far from guaranteed to reach the market" and is still barely "under consideration."

If the iPhone maker goes ahead with this smaller foldable iPhone, it would do nothing but testify its confidence in competing against existing options such as Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola's revamped Razr foldable.

Gurman's recent report also outlined that Apple believes that its first foldable iPhone would be warmly received.

As claimed by leaks churned out by prolific tipsters, Apple's first foldable iPhone might be released later in 2026, with the company planning to capitalise on the anticipated demand.

This isn't the first mention of a clamshell foldable iPhone, considering a previous report from The Information which hinted that Apple had developed prototypes in this form factor. What validates this claim is Gurman's Power On newsletter, highlighting that a larger foldable device is also on the cards that opens like a book.

Previously, Gurman had reported that Apple had contemplated a foldable similar in size to an iPad, but thought of delaying its launch until 2029 after it met with challenges in developing such a large device.