On episode 583 of Upgrade on Relay, Jason Snell (a real life actual Journalist), and iMyke were discussing how the iPhone 17 Pro really feels like a work tool.

What doesn't feel like that is the iPhone Air. It's sleek, light, and feels 'bendable,' although it definitely is not.

Of course there is no #bendgate this year, so in search of another scandal the tech-journalists (little j, journalists) are trying to make ScratchGate a thing.

While not trying to insult the tech-community more than intended, there is a clear angle here that Apple is diversifying and appealing to different customers. They now have two premium product lines they can focus on, with two entirely separately focused design languages.

I'm going to make a bet here, I'm going to say they will rename the entire line. In 2026 there will be four iPhone lines. iPhone, iPhone Pro, iPhone Air, and iPhone Ultra. The iPhone Ultra will be the rugged (as rugged as Apple products ever are) version furthering the design language of the current pro, for those who want ultra power, battery life, etc. The iPhone Pro in 2026 will be a mixture of current iPhone Air and Pro.

While the folding iPhone is heavily rumored, it's still not a wide or profitable enough of a product segment for Apple to jump into. They have, and will always have 'late mover advantage,' when it comes to mobile phones. There is no reason for them to still experiment with an unrefined technology and overly saturated segment for a narrow customer group.

Just look at how great this would look:

While I will admit that this goal is perhaps a bit faster moving than the titanic-sized Apple can accomplish, it would net them clarity. In a world where I literally heard someone blaming Apple for something Instagram did because they had no understanding that a company who manufactured the product wasn't also didn't design every piece of software on it, clarity is always preferred.