Folding phone enthusiasts should not hold their breath, as a new report suggests that the long-rumored foldable iPhone Flip may be another two to three years away at the earliest.

This is according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter, which states that Apple's entry into the world of foldable phones could still be some time away. If true, Samsung would be the only major company outside of China to make a major foray into foldable phones, and Firm Display Supply Chain Consultants also sees a 2023, if not 2024, launch as likely.

The first foldable phones launched in 2019, but have yet to take off in any meaningful way. In fact, only Samsung and Motorola actually sell foldable handsets in the U.S., and only a handful have launched in China from manufacturers like Huawei and Royall. [We have heard about many other devices, including the rumored Google Pixel Fold, LG's ill-fated "rollable" device, and of course the iPhone Flip itself. However, none of these have made it to market.

Apple itself has neither confirmed nor denied that it plans to release a foldable phone. However, Apple has filed a number of patents related to folding technology, suggesting that it is at least interested in exploring folding phones.

In any case, Apple is unlikely to be far behind. First of all, foldable phones are still a niche category, and their high price point precludes any serious mainstream appeal.

And of course, Apple is not the kind of person to rush products and features for the sake of it. Even if every cell phone manufacturer on the planet started selling folding phones, Apple would never launch its own product until it was absolutely ready.

Therefore, don't wait in anticipation of the iPhone Flip. Although that would certainly be a good thing.

Given the problems Samsung had with the Galaxy Fold and the fact that successive foldable phones have had noticeable creases in the screen, I'm content to wait for Apple to solve most of the problems, literally. In the meantime, I look forward to the iPhone 13 series.