According To A Rumor, Apple Is Developing At Least Two Flip-Style Foldable iPhone Prototypes
February 9, 2024 / By Zunair Tahir / Tech News
Two foldable iPhone prototypes are reportedly being built by Apple right now, citing a recent story attributed to “a person with direct knowledge of the situation”.
These aren’t bigger smartphones like the OnePlus Open or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, but rather flip-style devices like the Oppo Find N3 Flip and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5.
That being said, Apple appears to be experimenting with the form factor rather than announcing that it will produce foldables of its own.
If the initiative is successful, the earliest time we may see one of these phones would be in the fall of 2026. They are not scheduled for mass production by Apple for either this year or 2025. In order to obtain parts for the foldable iPhone, Apple has been in talks with at least one Asian manufacturer.
Of course, the project might still be shelved at any point if it doesn’t meet Apple’s exacting requirements.
In 2018, Apple intended to create a foldable device that, when closed, would be just as thin as the existing iPhone models.
However, the technology for the battery and display is still lacking. It’s interesting to note that the business reportedly intended for the phone’s display to be on the outside when it is folded, similar to a flip-style Huawei Mate X. This makes no sense to us and unsurprisingly led to design challenges because the phone is so fragile.
Apple then put the foldable iPhone on hold in 2020 in order to concentrate on the much-discussed foldable iPad, which isn’t anticipated to arrive on the market until 2026. They now appear to be being worked on simultaneously.
In order to prevent the Apple Pencil from being severely impacted when in use, Apple developers are now working to eliminate the display crease and create a hinge that allows the screen to rest completely flat.
It’s unknown who businesses would be producing the panels for the foldable iPhone, but LG and Samsung Display have both been recruited for the foldable iPad.
