Apple, Samsung, and the Quiet Tipping Point for Foldables
Almost a year ago, I wrote about foldable phones and made a simple assertion: it would take Apple to make them mainstream. Samsung’s models, while technically impressive, weren’t enough to tip the balance. The innovation was there, but the demand wasn’t. Not yet.
Now, signs are beginning to point toward a subtle but significant shift. Multiple sources have reported that Apple is likely to incorporate foldable displays manufactured by none other than Samsung. This might sound like business as usual, but it’s worth pausing here.
Displays, sensors, and silicon are often sourced from third parties, even between direct competitors. The iPhone’s OLED screens, for instance, have long been built by Samsung. What’s more interesting is the pattern behind the supply: Samsung seems to be ramping up not just production but innovation in its foldables, possibly as a way of anticipating, and shaping, the market Apple will eventually catalyze. From the Galaxy Z Fold5 to new form factors being teased, it’s not hard to see Samsung using its current lineup as a proving ground. The irony is rich but strategic: build the best possible foldable displays, sell them to your rival, and ride the wave they create.
This is coopetition in its most sophisticated form. Two fierce competitors locked in a game of mutual dependency, each advancing the other’s agenda while fighting for dominance. It's a dynamic that's become common in the smartphone industry, but rarely does it hold such potential to reshape the form factor landscape.
So What? Why This Matters Now
If you're reading this on a slab phone, a device with a rigid, unchanging form, you're in good company. Most people are. Foldables have remained a niche play, celebrated more for their novelty than their utility. But Apple's entrance into the category would change that overnight.
Here’s why:
Ecosystem Maturity: Apple doesn't just launch hardware, it catalyzes ecosystems. Apps get optimized, accessories multiply, use cases deepen.
Standard Setting: Apple’s design language and UX decisions often become the de facto standards others follow. A foldable iPhone could redefine what users expect from multitasking, content creation, and mobile productivity.
Adoption Cascades: When Apple moves, markets follow. Vendors, carriers, and enterprise buyers that once hesitated will accelerate support. A tipping point could finally be in reach.
The implications for innovation leaders and strategy professionals are clear: we’re on the edge of a paradigm shift in mobile computing. One that blends portability with flexibility, hardware with spatial computing interfaces, and interaction with immersion.
This isn’t just about phones. It’s about rethinking how our devices adapt to us, rather than the other way around. And if Apple’s involvement is any indicator, that shift is closer than it appears.