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WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

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Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#191

Post by rtkwe »

swiftcoder wrote: post #178
rtkwe wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unlikely because the law includes this out for manufacturers, manufacturers are exempt from the user-replacement rule if their devices are waterproof (IP67 or higher) and utilize ultra-durable batteries that retain 83% capacity after 500 cycles and 80% capacity after 1,000 charge cycles. That's skipped over in a lot of the headlines about the law. A lot of phones these days are at least IP67 if not better. My Pixel 8…

> but most phones are pretty good at that afaik I clearly haven't had good luck on this front. My iPhone is showing a battery health of "service", and a maximum capacity of 77%, after just 357 cycles.

You could try draining it to zero and recharging it without using it. Sometimes the battery life calibration gets a little off and reports bad numbers. There's not a perfect way to monitor battery health a lot of it is based on the voltage curve of the battery and that's somewhat variable from battery to battery in a way that can mess with the battery health estimate.

There's also the chance you get a slightly bad battery and just got screwed on the lottery.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#192

Post by dymk »

stevenhubertron wrote: post #12

For me at least the screen size isn’t the limiting factor the lack of a keyboard is. I don’t know why I’d choose this device over a Neo or Air + non-folding phone.

You can pair a Bluetooth keyboard to any iPhone or iPad.

This, for instance, combines a battery and compact physical kb https://www.clicks.tech/products/powerkeyboard

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#193

Post by dymk »

internet2000 wrote: post #144
ARandomerDude wrote: post #71

> Starting price reportedly around $2,000. I'll guess it won't be a Vision Pro level disaster, but most people will skip this device unless the price drops substantially.

It'll be backordered for moooonths. They won't be able to make enough to meet the demand it'll get.

A lot of people said the same thing about Vision Pro. The only way to actually know is to wait.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#194

Post by rtkwe »

dualvariable wrote: post #174
rtkwe wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The issue with repairability is always the conflict between water resistance, thickness and feel vs the compromises to that needed to make removable batteries or back cases work. There are ways around it but the vast majority of the market prefers solid near glued together phones so that's what companies make. > I get the impression they're running out of ideas with the "slate" form factor and are trying to stimulate…

> the vast majority of the market prefers solid near glued together phones so that's what companies make. the vast majority of companies only make solid near-glued together phones, so that is all anyone buys. if apple made a phone with replaceable batteries with a bit more thickness and some compromises on water resistance vs. cost, you'd actually see the consumer preferences play out. > The folds do add functionalit…

> if apple made a phone with replaceable batteries with a bit more thickness and some compromises on water resistance vs. cost, you'd actually see the consumer preferences play out.

We already went through the period of offering both and people preferred the thin hard to repair slabs we have now. There were quite a few phones made during the transition to the current state and the overwhelming purchasing choice was eliminate replicable batteries.

I'd love it if we could make slightly thicker phones (I put cases on my phone still I'm not chasing absolute thinness contrary to your assumptions) with the same battery capacity and feel, but there's a lot more of a trade off than just a little thickness when you go back to the old replicable battery. You lose a lot of capacity vs volume when you make the battery removable because it needs it's own plastic shell and you have to have a water resistant cavity to insert it into. Both of those eat up probably 10-20% of the capacity you can place in the same area with a bare(ish) lithium polymer pack that goes into the current design.

It's nice to believe people would agree with you if only they had the choice companies have stripped away from them to make again but it's not like people didn't have a chance to buy repairable smartphones over the current version already.. Most people just don't really think about replacing their phone's battery ever until it's a problem.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#195

Post by dpark »

elxr wrote: post #180
dpark wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t know why you’re so uncharitable toward someone who holds a different opinion than you. The idea that someone needs to research device dimensions in order to share their personal experience with foldables is a bit much. Instead of accusing them of complaining for the “dopamine hit”, you could have said “hey, your experience is out of date”. That’s what jayd16 did, and then you rolled in with a complaint about…

Maybe because on hacker news, you expect slightly higher quality comments. Or at least a more forward-thinking opinion on consumer hardware. Holding a different opinion is great, but dismissing on a modern cutting edge form-factor, one that has lots of love (as you can see even just in this thread), one that has painfully obvious benefits for reading, all because of "thickness" is daft considering the current crop of…

> Some people genuinely go online just to complain.

This is literally you in this thread.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#196

Post by gradientsrneat »

Reminds me of a billboard I saw where Apple was touting the alleged privacy of the iPhone with a guy wearing clothes nearly the same color as his skin. I know iPhone isn't really private, and I'd rather not have a phone that isn't repairable, but I can appreciate the clever marketing in both cases.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#197

Post by elxr »

dpark wrote: post #195
elxr wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe because on hacker news, you expect slightly higher quality comments. Or at least a more forward-thinking opinion on consumer hardware. Holding a different opinion is great, but dismissing on a modern cutting edge form-factor, one that has lots of love (as you can see even just in this thread), one that has painfully obvious benefits for reading, all because of "thickness" is daft considering the current crop of…

> Some people genuinely go online just to complain. This is literally you in this thread.

Nice mate. Everything I said has been in support of apple, or anyone else, pursuing and developing a foldable. I'm 100% a fan of foldables, and my point was that they're just going to get thinner. Thus making the "thickness" complaint even more of a non-issue than it already is with the currently available foldables. Almost entirely If you think that's just complaining, I don't know what else to tell you.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#198

Post by embedding-shape »

philistine wrote: post #134
embedding-shape wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Apple's MO has never been to make junk that breaks. Have you never used their cables? I don't think I've seen a single Apple cable lasting more than a few years if they're being used daily, the only ones that last are the ones that are kept static for the entire time. Their computing hardware is great otherwise, no disagreement there. But their cables are the polar-opposite of whatever engineering methodologies the…

So because their cables were subpar at one point (hint: they were bad because they got rid of insidious chemicals you don't want in your house), that means that's not their MO? Failure at a mission statement does not mean you have a different mission statement.

> So because their cables were subpar at one point

What do you mean at one point? We bought a laptop for my wife a year ago, cable is almost broken already, behind the connector. They really don't seem to know how to make cables today or before.

> Failure at a mission statement does not mean you have a different mission statement.

Ok? MO or no MO, the cables have useless durability even compared to cheaper cables.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#199

Post by embedding-shape »

crimsontech wrote: post #132
embedding-shape wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Apple's MO has never been to make junk that breaks. Have you never used their cables? I don't think I've seen a single Apple cable lasting more than a few years if they're being used daily, the only ones that last are the ones that are kept static for the entire time. Their computing hardware is great otherwise, no disagreement there. But their cables are the polar-opposite of whatever engineering methodologies the…

This is a pet hate of mine. My whole family has iPhones but only my wife and daughters cables break because they use the phones while they are plugged in. The cable gets bent sharply where it joins the connector causing it to break. I'm not sure if the newer braided cables are better or not as they don't have them. I have never needed to replace mine as when the phone is plugged in and charging I don't use it.

> cables break because they use the phones while they are plugged in.

Is that something Apple advise iPhone users not to do, or why would that be a problem? Other cables can handle being bent sharply, Apple's cables break way faster than other's.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#200

Post by elxr »

sixothree wrote: post #154
swiftcoder wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But carrying an ipad mini and a phone is not that big a deal I did this way back when the first iPad mini was released, and it's not bad. But these days, the big iPhone is 7 inches to the iPad mini's 8 inches... the phone is big enough for most iPad mini use cases

The thing I like about the iPad Mini is that it's an optional carry. I don't need an 8" device every time I leave the house. And maybe that's going to be the appeal of the foldable.

Another benefit of the foldable over the ipad mini + regular phone is managing internet connectivity is a lot easier. Also no need for 2 separate sessions on whatever apps/websites you're currently using. As much as syncing states works fine nowadays, it'll never match just sticking to one device and not having separate browsers / note taking apps for your phone + the ipad.

I also don't foresee ipad minis going down that much in size, whereas foldables are constantly being made in smaller sizes (in height, thickness, weight, and even a variety of aspect ratios).

Price is the final real hurdle for most of these things IMO.

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