The foldable smartphone has felt inevitable for some time, and now major companies like Samsung and Huawei have their own flip phones on the market. Apple has stayed out of this battle up to now, but that looks set to change with the release of the iPhone Flip in 2023 or 2024. The tech giant tends to change the game and spark trends, and it could easily do it again with this offering.
These new devices will change the way people play mobile games, and the slots market looks most likely to benefit in the early stages. Indeed, these smartphones could lead to a new stage in the evolution of slots.
Slots Have New Mechanisms that Flip Phones Could Enhance
When browsing through pages of online slots, it’s clear that they’ve entered a new stage in their evolution. There are loads of new mechanisms on offer, with Jackpot King and Megaways being two standout features. Doggy Riches Megaways, for instance, gives players more than 100,000 ways to win, and Gold Strike Bonanza Jackpot King offers three different jackpots.
Slots have boomed in popularity thanks to their compatibility with smartphones, but these new-fangled inventions could be beginning to grow too big for the traditional screen. Developers are bringing in features that offer a more advanced and immersive experience, and these need additional space. Take the Colossal Reels engine, for instance. This features an additional playing grid alongside the traditional reels, and it would fit well with the larger screen of a flip phone.
Apple’s Foldable Could Spark a New Trend in the Market
There were smartphones that existed before the release of the iPhone in 2007, but the market hadn’t taken off before then. The same could be said for foldable smartphones. There were only 8.9 million units sold in 2021, but this figure is expected to rise to 30 million by 2030. The iPhone Flip could be the device that sparks this spike.
Apple is likely to be diligently examining offerings like the Samsung Z Fold and working out ways to improve upon it with its own release. There are still a few issues with the new mechanism, such as the worry about its durability over time. Apple also plans to offer a larger screen than existing offerings, with the first phone likely coming in a clamshell design.
Smartphones Invented a New Gaming Sector and Could Do it Again
Prior to the emergence of the iPhone and other smartphones, there was no such thing as the smartphone gaming industry. Now, though, that sector is worth an astonishing $10.73 billion in the USA alone. This new gaming sector was invented for smartphones and its success has been incredible.
Developers may now need to adapt to the emergence of foldable smartphones, and this could change the way future games are made. It may bring about titles that require this new technology, and these titles, in turn, could push the sales of foldable phones.
Online slots have always adapted to new technology, and they will do the same when foldables become prevalent. The wider mobile gaming industry could be affected, and the release of Apple’s foldable could act as a catalyst to this new era.