There's a chance that we could have another Galaxy Note situation on our hands. Not the Samsung-branded tablet lineup, but the first "phablet" from the company. The device that basically launched the big phone revolution for the rest of the market. At the time, many manufacturers -- including Apple for years to come -- were still launching phones with displays around four inches in size.
But then Samsung launched the Galaxy Note phablet and the craze started.
Here we are in 2020 and the big phone is the standard. Handsets with 6-inch screens and bigger are the norm. There are some holdouts, of course. The iPhone 8, for instance, comes in relatively small sizes in both variants: 4.7 and 5.5 inches. Even the iPhone 11 Pro comes in at under six inches, thanks to the 5.8-inch measurement.
But there's a push for new designs. Foldable phones are starting to find their way into the limelight, and while some might argue that it's too early to jump on that bandwagon, I can't help but feel like maybe this might be another turning point for the market. After all, a foldable phone, or a device with two displays in general, adds a whole host of new functionality elements to be excited for. Just look at the Peek feature teased for the upcoming Android-based Surface Duo from Microsoft.
And then you have the features that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy Z Flip thanks to its hinge. "Flex Mode" is a gimmick, to be sure, but being able to prop up your phone into a miniature laptop could have some awesome use cases in the future. It just needs to be fleshed out.
So I want to look ahead a bit. Because there are already rumors that Apple is going to launch a foldable phone at some point down the road. Probably not soon. But some day. Maybe. There are patent applications that have been approved suggesting as much -- not that an Apple patent app guarantees anything. But if the market does actually shift and foldable phones do become the popular option, well, Apple may actually go through with it.
Which is why I'm curious which design you think Apple should use if it does go this route. Should Apple go with the Galaxy Fold or Huawei's Mate Xs landscape folding design? A flip phone style like Motorola's Razr or the Galaxy Z Flip? Or should Apple just go for a dual screen option, skipping the bending display and opting for something like the Surface Duo or LG's brand new V60 ThinQ 5G?
If Apple launches a device like this in the future, let me know how you think the company should handle the design.