Apple is rumored to be developing a foldable phone, which could become mainstream in the future.

• Several smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung from South Korea and Oppo from China, showcased foldable devices that can increase screen size instantly.
• Ben Wood, the Chief Analyst at CCS Insight, predicts that it's only a matter of time before Apple joins the flexible device market, despite its current absence.
• In a note to investors, Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, reported that Apple is planning to launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch display in 2023.

At this year's Mobile World Congress, most new smartphones displayed resembled the typical rectangular slabs. However, a few stood out with unique features.

Flip phones, which were popular two decades ago, seem to be making a comeback as folding phones.

Ben Wood, CCS Insight's Chief Analyst, stated on CNBC that foldable devices are beginning to appear, with many more expected in the future. He added that there is a lot of experimentation going on and he finds it an exciting time.

Several smartphone makers, including South Korea's Oppo and China's Oppo, showcased foldable devices that can double a user's screen size in an instant. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold range and Oppo's Fold N were among those displayed.

Apple next?

Apple is conspicuously absent from the folding device market, but it's only a matter of time before the iPhone maker introduces such a product, according to Wood. "I am confident that Apple has been working on flexible display technology for more than a decade," he stated.

Apple stated that they prefer not to rush and will wait for the market to evolve. Apple did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.

Apple's iPhones and iPads are so successful that the company doesn't need to deviate at this point in time, Wood said. When the time is right for Apple to launch a flexible product, Wood expects there to be "some sort of convergence" between the iPhone and iPad.

In a note to investors last May, Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, reportedly stated that Apple was planning to launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch display in 2023.

According to Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, Apple is likely to launch a flexible device when durability is no longer a concern and the cost of display technologies has decreased.

Although we're seeing Samsung and others address many of the pain points that previously existed, I believe we're still about a year or two away from reaching that point, according to Sag.

He stated that if Apple introduced a flexible device, it would resemble a "flip" rather than a "fold" device, as it enhances the device's portability and is more consumer-oriented.

More of the same

Despite the prevalence of foldable phones, Wood emphasized that most handsets at MWC have remained largely unchanged.

"The black touchscreen is the dominant form factor, with a sea of sameness," he stated.

Wood stated that while some of the new devices at MWC had slight improvements in camera quality and charging speed, the overall hardware updates have been relatively incremental.