This Verge column traces how foldable phones have evolved from a shaky, gimmicky category into a mature, reliable segment of the smartphone market — and argues that this newfound stability is precisely why Apple can now confidently enter the space with a folding iPhone. Early foldables, starting with Royole's flawed FlexPai and Samsung's fault-ridden first Galaxy Fold, were plagued by durability problems and poor reviews, but successive generations from Samsung, Motorola, Google and Chinese rivals have steadily ironed out the flaws.

Foldables have since become thinner, sturdier and cheaper, with entry-level models such as Motorola's Razr now costing $799 and Samsung's Z Flip 7 FE $899, even as flagship book-style foldables remain around $2,000. Durability has also markedly improved, with Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold achieving an IP68 rating and Honor's Magic V6 going further with IP69 while also being the thinnest foldable with the largest battery. Manufacturers including Huawei and Samsung have begun experimenting with new form factors, such as trifolds and wider flip designs, signalling that the technology has moved from novelty to a settled, dependable product category — the kind of maturity Apple typically waits for before joining a market.