If Apple’s Foldable iPhone Isn’t Thin Enough, It’s Already in Trouble
Not long ago, foldable phones were little more than futuristic fantasy. Fast-forward to today, and nearly every major smartphone brand has dipped a toe into the crease-filled waters of flexible displays. But in a space crowded with devices trying to outdo each other on size, shape, and gimmicks, one manufacturer thinks the future hinges on a single metric: thinness.
Enter the Honor Magic V5—officially the world’s thinnest foldable phone, unveiled just this week. It’s a spec that might seem superficial, but make no mistake: this sleek device doesn’t just raise the bar—it resets expectations for everyone else in the game. That includes Samsung, the reigning champion of the foldable category, and more notably, Apple, which has long been rumored to be cooking up its own take on the foldable form.
How Thin is “Thin”?
According to Honor, the Magic V5 comes in at just 8.8mm when folded—barely edging out the previous record-holder, the Oppo Find N5, by a tenth of a millimeter. It may seem like a marginal gain, but in foldable design, every sliver counts. When opened up, each side of the Magic V5 measures a scant 4.1mm, making it one of the most compact large-screen foldables on the market.
Now, there’s a small catch. The Magic V5 does sport a rather bulky camera bump, which makes its silhouette a bit less svelte than the spec sheet implies. Still, as of now, it holds the crown. That said, Samsung’s next wave of foldables is expected to be revealed within days, and could shake up the leaderboard.
The Real Challenger: Apple
Samsung may be ready to fire back, but the more interesting question is what this means for Apple. Unlike its Android counterparts, Apple hasn’t launched a foldable yet—but the buzz suggests it’s only a matter of time. And when that time comes, expectations will be sky-high.
Why? Because that’s Apple’s brand. The company has spent years watching the foldable space mature, presumably to avoid the pitfalls of rushed innovation. But the longer Apple waits, the more consumers will expect its foldable debut to feel like a leap forward—not a late arrival.
And that leap will have to be as much about design as it is about functionality. A foldable iPhone can’t afford to be bulky or awkwardly thick—it needs to be at least as refined and pocket-friendly as what Honor and Samsung are producing today.
Why Thinness Matters More Than Ever
In foldables, thinness isn’t just about looks—it’s about usability. Book-style foldables already demand more from your pockets and your hands than standard phones do. If Apple ships a chunky, first-gen foldable, it risks reinforcing the perception that it’s falling behind the curve—not just in hardware, but in areas like AI and user experience as well.
That’s why thinness isn’t a trivial concern—it’s a litmus test for Apple’s seriousness about the category. According to DigiTimes, Apple may finally have a working prototype in production, but whether it matches or surpasses the ultra-thin Magic V5 remains unknown.
Bottom Line: Apple Has to Nail the Hardware
If Apple is going to enter the foldable market in 2026 or beyond, it needs to come correct. That means minimal crease, a hinge built to withstand thousands of folds without letting in dust—and yes, a design that’s as slim and seamless as the best of what’s out there.
Because anything less than a stunningly thin iPhone Fold won’t just feel dated—it’ll feel like a missed opportunity.
Give us sleek. Give us innovation. But above all, give us thin—or don’t bother at all.
