Foldable devices seem to be the future of smart phones. Manufacturers including Motorola, Samsung and Huawei have put smart phones with foldable displays on the market, and it is said that more smart phones will be launched in the coming months.
The attraction of this concept is obvious-you can use the standard iPhone display when you go out. When you want to play games or read articles, just "expand" the iPhone and increase the screen size to the iPad Mini-similar to the concept of high-end Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Alternatively, Apple can take the same route as Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, and halve the size of the smartphone display when not in use.
There have been many rumors over the years, some of which can be traced back to 20 16, suggesting that Apple is actively looking for flexible organic light-emitting diode manufacturers to produce foldable iPhone panels. A report on 20 19 shows that Apple has entered the testing stage.
Over the years, he has applied for several patents, and the leaker Jon prosser even shared some expected details about the foldable iPhone, which shows that Apple is developing something-we will introduce it in detail later.
Aside from rumors, there are some common problems in foldable smartphones at present, namely, price, durability and quality. Apple may be solving these problems behind closed doors, and it is certain that Apple will not comment on the foldable iPhone until it is close to perfection. This may mean that there are still several years left for the faulty equipment, but to be honest, it is worth waiting for, isn't it? By then, the idea of folding the iPhone may not look so sci-fi. ...
This is a million-dollar question.
The first rumor about the foldable iPhone dates back to 20 18. Merrill Lynch, an analyst at Bank of America, claimed that Apple would release a foldable mobile phone in 2020, but this obviously didn't happen. So, when can we see the release of the foldable iPhone?
In September, 2020, Weibo revealed that Apple ordered a foldable monitor from Samsung. According to reports, these are samples of several different designs, not final products, which shows that Apple is only in the early stage of developing foldable iPhone. Recent rumors show that Apple has parted ways with Samsung and is now cooperating with LG to develop a prototype display.
This is consistent with a report by Bloomberg in June 5438 +2020 10, which shows that Apple is still developing the prototype of the foldable screen, and the work on the smartphone itself has not yet started.
When talking about the specific date, the insider of the leaker Jon prosser said that Apple will not launch the foldable iPhone until 2023 at the earliest, which is also in line with the prediction of the investment company EqualOcean and the famous Apple analyst Guo Ming.
Guo claimed in 200211that if Apple tries to solve "key technology and mass production problems" this year, it will not be launched until 2023, but pointed out that "it has not started yet", so the plan may change.
However, in a follow-up report in May 20021,Guo Ming doubled the release date in 2023, and hinted that Apple would ship as many as150-20 million units when it was finally released.
Recently, some people said that the foldable iPhone may not be released for 2-3 years, which is consistent with Guo's prediction.
Since most signs indicate that foldable products are still in the early stage of development, it seems to be a safer choice to release them in 2023.
If you can't wait that long, please take a look at what we think is the best iPhone at present.
Although many people think that Apple will take the same route as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Huawei Mate X2 to produce a foldable iPhone with the middle folded like a book, the current rumors have detailed several different possibilities.
Due to common problems such as durability, obvious creases of foldable display screen and overall quality of surface treatment, a prototype of Apple may actually be more meaningful.
In a series of tweets in June 2020, Jon prosser revealed that the foldable iPhone may not contain a single flexible display. Instead, the leaker claimed that the "foldable" iPhone prototype consisted of two independent display screens connected by a central hinge.
Considering all the problems surrounding the durability and cost of flexible display technology, this may be a wise choice. However, according to a report by Bloomberg in early 20021,Apple has developed a prototype of a foldable display, which, like Samsung and other companies' products, has an invisible hinge, just one step away from the dual display design detailed by prosser in 2020.
Prosser reiterated this point in a report in February 20021. He no longer seems to think that Apple is taking the dual-monitor route, and now it shows that Apple is keen to develop products similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 flip shape.
The leaker didn't disclose more details, only hinted that the company was considering providing "interesting colors" for the foldable iPhone, which might be similar to the color iPhone 12 series, but it was too early for Apple to make a final decision on the color scheme.
The forecast of EqualOcean, a Canadian investment research company, also shows that Apple is developing a foldable single display, but it may be similar to the iPad mini when deployed. The company predicts that Apple will launch a foldable iPhone with a screen size of 7.3 to 7.6 inches when deployed, and will also be compatible with Apple Pencil.
Considering how fragile the display screen is compared with a standard glass smartphone, the concept that the stylus works on a foldable device may sound a bit "excessive", but it is a function of the new Galaxy Z Fold 3, thanks to the soft and retractable stylus, so it is certainly possible.
Ming-chi kuo, a competitive analyst, introduced the 8-inch unfolded display in detail, which may be slightly larger than his forecast of 5438+0 in May 2026. In fact, Kuo goes further than simply mentioning the size, suggesting that it will be equipped with an 8-inch QHD+ flexible organic light-emitting diode display screen, and claims to adopt the silver nanowire touch solution used by TPK in HomePod Mini, "because it has several advantages over SDC's Y-Octa technology".
Guo believes that the latter can create a "long-term competitive advantage" for Apple in the foldable market, because it is a "superior" choice for multi-folding and curly-shaped devices in the future.
Regardless of the final size, industry sources said that LG is working with Apple to develop a prototype of the foldable display, although it is not clear whether it is made by LG or internally by Apple.
Of course, it would not be a futuristic product without one or two equally eccentric concepts to promote it. There are many cool renderings on the Internet:
The following rendering provided by LetsGoDigital shows a design similar to Galaxy Z Flip 3.
And this representative from Roy Gilsing can fold mobile news, showing a design similar to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Patent of dual-screen iPhone
This patent describes a device consisting of two independent panels which are connected by a fabric hinge system. However, this is not the first patent describing the foldable iPhone. The single patent application number of "Flexible Display Device" is 20 18, which is the continuation of patents 20 16, 20 14 and 201. There is also a separate patent 20 16 which describes "an electronic device including a bending shaft; And a display in the housing, which can be bent around a bending axis ".
There is also an interesting patent, the application number is 20 18, which outlines a three-fold foldable smart phone that can be folded in different directions, which is different from the current foldable mobile phone. According to the patent application, the double folding screen can be bent backward or folded inward from any end, and users can freely use the folding screen in any way they like.
It also allows Apple to produce a foldable device the size of a smartphone, which can be folded to the size of an iPad, which sounds as interesting as the futuristic tablet used in westworld.
Don't forget Apple's patent, which outlines a way to avoid damaging the display screen when bending. The patent of "electronic equipment with flexible display" shows that it may be damaged under cold conditions, and provides a feasible solution that "the part where the display overlaps with the bending axis may self-heat by illuminating the pixels".
Another Apple patent shows a novel concept, in which the crease does not extend down to the center of the display screen, but leaves a part exposed when the device is folded, which is considered as an auxiliary display screen or used for notification and other similar classifications, similar to the external screen of the Galaxy Z Flip.
The patent details the solution to the crease problem of foldable display screen: the system allows the display screen to bend rather than fold to reduce the pressure on the panel itself, which is no different from the systems in Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr.
The latest patent is called "Electronic Equipment with Adjustable Display Window", which introduces in detail the expandable display, which can cover the camera unit (and possibly other facial recognition components) when not in use. Although it is not specifically used for foldable iPhone, the concept of expandable display is far from the concept used by Android competitors to combat creases on most foldable devices.
Of course, it is worth mentioning that Apple, like most technology companies, has been applying for patents. This doesn't necessarily indicate what we will see on the upcoming iPhone or iPad, but it gives us a good idea of the way Apple is considering.
This is a difficult question to answer, not only because we know little about the products that the foldable iPhone will provide, but also because we don't know when the foldable iPhone will be released.
At present, the price of foldable smartphones is very high. The price of Galaxy Z Fold 3 is $65,438 +0.799, and that of Huawei Mate X2 is about $2,785. But like all technologies, the final price will gradually decline.
We don't know Apple's plan. Only a large number of patents show that some prototypes are under development, and the design and functions provided will largely reflect the price tag. It may be one of the "cheaper" foldable products, such as the 949/$999 Galaxy Z Flip 3, or it may be one of the larger foldable products with higher price.
It is impossible to say at this point, but it is likely to be a high-quality product with a high price.
Compiled from: technical consultant