Apple working on multiple folding iPhone prototypes, but launch isn't soon

AppleInsider

Apple is reportedly testing multiple foldable iPhone prototypes, but an actual launch is probably still years away, according to an accurate leaker.

'iPhone Fold' renders

Following a rumor about "iPhone 14" models earlier on Thursday, accurate Apple leaker DylanDKT also shared some tidbits about the company's rumored "iPhone Fold."

The leaker claims that Apple is "definitely working and testing multiple prototypes with certain foldable displays." However, Apple may have concerns with the overall foldable smartphone trend.

"Too many compromises still exist with foldable display technology though," DylanDKT wrote. "There are also concerns as to whether foldable smartphones will continue to have a place in the market or will fall into obsolescence."

1/3 For those who are curious about a foldable iPhone, Apple is definitely working and testing multiple prototypes that contain foldable displays. Too many compromises still exist with foldable display technology though.

-- Dylan (@dylandkt)

January 6, 2022

As a result, Apple is said to be "carefully observing the market and improving upon the mistakes of their competitors." Those mistakes are undoubtedly the ill-fated attempts at folding smartphones by competitors like Huawei and Samsung. Even current foldable devices could still be seen as "beta products."

The goal, DylanDKT added, is to ensure that a foldable iPhone device "is not a regression from the current form factor of the iPhone." Apple, in other words, is playing the long game as it typically does.

Other well-respected analysts and industry watchers, including Ming-Chi Kuo, have suggested that a folding iPhone may not arrive until 2023 or 2024 at the earliest.

AppleInsider recently created renders of an "iPhone Fold" based on current rumors and information.

Read on AppleInsider

sflocal

Folding phones as it exists today is a joke, with Samsung being a perfect example of it.  It's of zero use being first if that product is garbage.

There's a reason why Apple hasn't put one out and I believe if/when Apple does it, it will be done right.  Then the iKnockoffs like Samsung and Xiaomi will copy Apple's design and the industry will flip and say "it was the next logical step.".

I'm not expecting anything from Apple for years.

tshapi

sflocal said:

Folding phones as it exists today is a joke, with Samsung being a perfect example of it.  It's of zero use being first if that product is garbage.

There's a reason why Apple hasn't put one out and I believe if/when Apple does it, it will be done right.  Then the iKnockoffs like Samsung and Xiaomi will copy Apple's design and the industry will flip and say "it was the next logical step.".

I'm not expecting anything from Apple for years.

someone always has to be first. There’s first to market and then there’s rush to be first to market like Xiaomi and Samsung.  How ever without companys rushing out new technology, apple would have nothing to perfect. See, Apple comes along and picks and chooses only what holds up to there exacting standards and then looks better for it because they let other people waste there money on fades and bad product that the public won’t be attracted to.  Apple mainly only invests in products and features with a proven track record that fits within there COGS model. 

longfang

Call when they figure out how to waterproof folding phones.

fred1

I don’t see a need for this either, but if Apple does create a folding phone it’ll be because they know there’s a market for them. As usual, Apple doesn’t rush to be the first, but let’s others do that so they can see the market share obtained. If Apple does make one, it’ll follow the pattern of so many other products and be a much better version, like with smartphones, tablets, laptops, earpods, etc., etc. 

georgebmac

fred1 said:

I don’t see a need for this  ....

"No need for this"?   Interesting!

Ever since Apple abandoned Steve's idea of a small screened iPhone with the iPhone 6, they've been racing ahead to bigger and bigger screens -- while even talking of abandoning the small screened mini.

The single biggest limitation of any smart phone is its pocketability -- the ability to fit into a pocket.  And that is determined by its screen size.  In fact, that is probably the single biggest reason for Face-ID -- to eliminate bezels in order to enlarge the screen.  Further, the flip phone proved the utility of the concept:  Not only did it shrink the physical dimensions of the phone, it hardened the phone against damage by protecting its screen and keyboard from external damage.  (With a flip phone I had no problem carrying keys and phone in the same pocket -- now my iPhone needs a separate pocket all to itself because its screen is so delicate.)

At this point, Apple has exhausted the expandability of tits iPhone.  If the Pro-Max gets any bigger it goes into iPad territory and its mobility will be severely impaired.

They have only one direction to go:  A folding iPhone.

Apple knows this.  But its fans tend to think that if Apple doesn't make it, they don't need it.

avon b7

There were no 'ill-fated' attempts at folding phones from Huawei and barring the review units from Samsung, their phones were received well, too.

Huawei delayed the release of their original folding phone due to 5G calibration delays at carriers and the political situation. They said they would simply continue to further test the design and tweak elements while it awaited release. Most likely elements that were proposed for the following version and brought forward due to the delays in releasing the original version. That was 2019.

AFAIK, none of the released units from Huawei or Samsung have suffered from any widespread issues. Definitely nothing like people were proclaiming prior to release.

Sales have exceeded expectations at both camps and currently Samsung has a lead due to the political issues surrounding Huawei. Users appear to be very happy with their phones. 

For a nascent technology, that is an outstanding technical achievement. They both basically hit the ground running and as the technological breakthroughs arrive, they will be incorporated rapidly and accompanied by software improvements. 

The actual implementations (inward vs outward, flip or scrolling) are all a question of preference and users will decide which become predominant. 

The only way for prices to come down is through the existence of these, still high priced, options. As prices come down, sales will increase. 

Pocketability is only relevant to those who seek it (flip phone users mainly). The millions (?) of full sized folding phone users out there never had pocketability on their checklists in the first place. They simply wanted a way to make the almost-tablet size screen smaller, or their phone screen larger. 

edited January 2022

macxpress

I don't really see Apple releasing a folding phone. It just seems like a gimmick to me. The technology is there obviously, but I don't think its that great and there isn't much that it brings to the table other than the ooo and ahh factor which isn't what Apple is after with any product for its primary reason. 

This reminds me of the Netbook era where people wanted Apple to follow suit and never did. Instead, they came out with something even better (iPad) which pretty much put Netbooks out of business. I can see Apple doing something along these lines instead of directly focusing on a folding phone. 

fred1

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

I don’t see a need for this  ....

"No need for this"?   Interesting!

Ever since Apple abandoned Steve's idea of a small screened iPhone with the iPhone 6, they've been racing ahead to bigger and bigger screens -- while even talking of abandoning the small screened mini.

The single biggest limitation of any smart phone is its pocketability -- the ability to fit into a pocket.  And that is determined by its screen size.  In fact, that is probably the single biggest reason for Face-ID -- to eliminate bezels in order to enlarge the screen.  Further, the flip phone proved the utility of the concept:  Not only did it shrink the physical dimensions of the phone, it hardened the phone against damage by protecting its screen and keyboard from external damage.  (With a flip phone I had no problem carrying keys and phone in the same pocket -- now my iPhone needs a separate pocket all to itself because its screen is so delicate.)

At this point, Apple has exhausted the expandability of tits iPhone.  If the Pro-Max gets any bigger it goes into iPad territory and its mobility will be severely impaired.

They have only one direction to go:  A folding iPhone.

Apple knows this.  But its fans tend to think that if Apple doesn't make it, they don't need it.

Yep. Obviously I’m only speaking for myself and no one else, but for portability I have my iPhone Mini and for readability, drawing, etc., I have my iPad Mini. A screen that’s twice the size of an iPhone is too small and a phone that’s half the size of an iPad Mini is too big. 

But don’t base the potential market for a folding phone on my preferences! 

edited January 2022

hexclock

I have yet to see anyone with a folding smartphone. Not one. Most of the Android people in my family have Pixels.

georgebmac

fred1 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

I don’t see a need for this  ....

"No need for this"?   Interesting!

Ever since Apple abandoned Steve's idea of a small screened iPhone with the iPhone 6, they've been racing ahead to bigger and bigger screens -- while even talking of abandoning the small screened mini.

The single biggest limitation of any smart phone is its pocketability -- the ability to fit into a pocket.  And that is determined by its screen size.  In fact, that is probably the single biggest reason for Face-ID -- to eliminate bezels in order to enlarge the screen.  Further, the flip phone proved the utility of the concept:  Not only did it shrink the physical dimensions of the phone, it hardened the phone against damage by protecting its screen and keyboard from external damage.  (With a flip phone I had no problem carrying keys and phone in the same pocket -- now my iPhone needs a separate pocket all to itself because its screen is so delicate.)

At this point, Apple has exhausted the expandability of tits iPhone.  If the Pro-Max gets any bigger it goes into iPad territory and its mobility will be severely impaired.

They have only one direction to go:  A folding iPhone.

Apple knows this.  But its fans tend to think that if Apple doesn't make it, they don't need it.

Yep. Obviously I’m only speaking for myself and no one else, but for portability I have my iPhone Mini and for readability, drawing, etc., I have my iPad Mini. A screen that’s twice the size of an iPhone is too small and a phone that’s half the size of an iPad Mini is too big. 

But don’t base the potential market for a folding phone on my preferences! 

Yes, that's one way to do it:  buy two devices.

Many say the same about tablets and laptops -- that 2 in 1's are in some way bad and you should buy two devices instead:  an iPad and a MacBook.  But, oh wait! now we're up to three devices:  a mini, a tablet and a MacBook.

Too rich for my blood!

georgebmac

avon b7 said:

There were no 'ill-fated' attempts at folding phones from Huawei and barring the review units from Samsung, their phones were received well, too.

Huawei delayed the release of their original folding phone due to 5G calibration delays at carriers and the political situation. They said they would simply continue to further test the design and tweak elements while it awaited release. Most likely elements that were proposed for the following version and brought forward due to the delays in releasing the original version. That was 2019.

AFAIK, none of the released units from Huawei or Samsung have suffered from any widespread issues. Definitely nothing like people were proclaiming prior to release.

Sales have exceeded expectations at both camps and currently Samsung has a lead due to the political issues surrounding Huawei. Users appear to be very happy with their phones. 

For a nascent technology, that is an outstanding technical achievement. They both basically hit the ground running and as the technological breakthroughs arrive, they will be incorporated rapidly and accompanied by software improvements. 

The actual implementations (inward vs outward, flip or scrolling) are all a question of preference and users will decide which become predominant. 

The only way for prices to come down is through the existence of these, still high priced, options. As prices come down, sales will increase. 

Pocketability is only relevant to those who seek it (flip phone users mainly). The millions (?) of full sized folding phone users out there never had pocketability on their checklists in the first place. They simply wanted a way to make the almost-tablet size screen smaller, or their phone screen larger. 

I agreed with you till I got to the part about:

Poketability is not a relevant issue in a mobile device?

If that were true, people would be carrying iPads instead of iPhones.  While it's true that iPad Minis fit nicely into a lab coat pocket (and is one of their selling features) most people don't wear lab coats.

But, a foldable phone gives you both:  a (pocketable) iPhone and an iPad sized device (the OS would be a separate issue).

fred1

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

I don’t see a need for this  ....

"No need for this"?   Interesting!

Ever since Apple abandoned Steve's idea of a small screened iPhone with the iPhone 6, they've been racing ahead to bigger and bigger screens -- while even talking of abandoning the small screened mini.

The single biggest limitation of any smart phone is its pocketability -- the ability to fit into a pocket.  And that is determined by its screen size.  In fact, that is probably the single biggest reason for Face-ID -- to eliminate bezels in order to enlarge the screen.  Further, the flip phone proved the utility of the concept:  Not only did it shrink the physical dimensions of the phone, it hardened the phone against damage by protecting its screen and keyboard from external damage.  (With a flip phone I had no problem carrying keys and phone in the same pocket -- now my iPhone needs a separate pocket all to itself because its screen is so delicate.)

At this point, Apple has exhausted the expandability of tits iPhone.  If the Pro-Max gets any bigger it goes into iPad territory and its mobility will be severely impaired.

They have only one direction to go:  A folding iPhone.

Apple knows this.  But its fans tend to think that if Apple doesn't make it, they don't need it.

Yep. Obviously I’m only speaking for myself and no one else, but for portability I have my iPhone Mini and for readability, drawing, etc., I have my iPad Mini. A screen that’s twice the size of an iPhone is too small and a phone that’s half the size of an iPad Mini is too big. 

But don’t base the potential market for a folding phone on my preferences! 

Yes, that's one way to do it:  buy two devices.

Many say the same about tablets and laptops -- that 2 in 1's are in some way bad and you should buy two devices instead:  an iPad and a MacBook.  But, oh wait! now we're up to three devices:  a mini, a tablet and a MacBook.

Too rich for my blood!

If you’re able to do all the tasks from those three devices on only one then more power to you. Ikd love to be able to, but I’ve looked into it and it’s not possible. Size is one factor, operating systems are another, CPU, RAM, and HD are another. 

avon b7

GeorgeBMac said:

avon b7 said:

There were no 'ill-fated' attempts at folding phones from Huawei and barring the review units from Samsung, their phones were received well, too.

Huawei delayed the release of their original folding phone due to 5G calibration delays at carriers and the political situation. They said they would simply continue to further test the design and tweak elements while it awaited release. Most likely elements that were proposed for the following version and brought forward due to the delays in releasing the original version. That was 2019.

AFAIK, none of the released units from Huawei or Samsung have suffered from any widespread issues. Definitely nothing like people were proclaiming prior to release.

Sales have exceeded expectations at both camps and currently Samsung has a lead due to the political issues surrounding Huawei. Users appear to be very happy with their phones. 

For a nascent technology, that is an outstanding technical achievement. They both basically hit the ground running and as the technological breakthroughs arrive, they will be incorporated rapidly and accompanied by software improvements. 

The actual implementations (inward vs outward, flip or scrolling) are all a question of preference and users will decide which become predominant. 

The only way for prices to come down is through the existence of these, still high priced, options. As prices come down, sales will increase. 

Pocketability is only relevant to those who seek it (flip phone users mainly). The millions (?) of full sized folding phone users out there never had pocketability on their checklists in the first place. They simply wanted a way to make the almost-tablet size screen smaller, or their phone screen larger. 

I agreed with you till I got to the part about:

Poketability is not a relevant issue in a mobile device?

If that were true, people would be carrying iPads instead of iPhones.  While it's true that iPad Minis fit nicely into a lab coat pocket (and is one of their selling features) most people don't wear lab coats.

But, a foldable phone gives you both:  a (pocketable) iPhone and an iPad sized device (the OS would be a separate issue).

I meant 'pocketability' in the sense of flip phones which fit the term well. Folding phones will (and do) fit into pockets but you probably wouldn't want to put one in your shirt or jacket pocket and, for jeans, you might be able to walk around with one, but you'd definitely know it was there.

The real point was that this isn't an issue for anyone who actually bought one because they were well aware of the 'pocketability' limitations at purchase time.

My current phone (non-folding) only ever goes into my rear jeans pocket (temporarily) or inside coat pocket. It's too big (tall) to fit comfortably in a shirt pocket but a flip phone might be a better candidate for most pocket situations. In fact, that seems to be one of the major selling points of flip phones over folding phones. 

georgebmac

fred1 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

fred1 said:

I don’t see a need for this  ....

"No need for this"?   Interesting!

Ever since Apple abandoned Steve's idea of a small screened iPhone with the iPhone 6, they've been racing ahead to bigger and bigger screens -- while even talking of abandoning the small screened mini.

The single biggest limitation of any smart phone is its pocketability -- the ability to fit into a pocket.  And that is determined by its screen size.  In fact, that is probably the single biggest reason for Face-ID -- to eliminate bezels in order to enlarge the screen.  Further, the flip phone proved the utility of the concept:  Not only did it shrink the physical dimensions of the phone, it hardened the phone against damage by protecting its screen and keyboard from external damage.  (With a flip phone I had no problem carrying keys and phone in the same pocket -- now my iPhone needs a separate pocket all to itself because its screen is so delicate.)

At this point, Apple has exhausted the expandability of tits iPhone.  If the Pro-Max gets any bigger it goes into iPad territory and its mobility will be severely impaired.

They have only one direction to go:  A folding iPhone.

Apple knows this.  But its fans tend to think that if Apple doesn't make it, they don't need it.

Yep. Obviously I’m only speaking for myself and no one else, but for portability I have my iPhone Mini and for readability, drawing, etc., I have my iPad Mini. A screen that’s twice the size of an iPhone is too small and a phone that’s half the size of an iPad Mini is too big. 

But don’t base the potential market for a folding phone on my preferences! 

Yes, that's one way to do it:  buy two devices.

Many say the same about tablets and laptops -- that 2 in 1's are in some way bad and you should buy two devices instead:  an iPad and a MacBook.  But, oh wait! now we're up to three devices:  a mini, a tablet and a MacBook.

Too rich for my blood!

If you’re able to do all the tasks from those three devices on only one then more power to you. Ikd love to be able to, but I’ve looked into it and it’s not possible. Size is one factor, operating systems are another, CPU, RAM, and HD are another. 

I merely related that foldable phones can do the job of both a smart phone and a (small) tablet and equated that to 2 in 1's doing the job of both a tablet and a laptop -- not that a smart phone can effectively replace a laptop.   Sorry if I didn't express that clearly.

But  Apple forces you to buy one device for each category. 

CPU, RAM and storage are not issues (except at the highest ends of performance).  But Apple keeps their OS's separate making them an issue.  Others have resolved that problem.

fred1

GeorgeBMac said:

I merely related that foldable phones can do the job of both a smart phone and a (small) tablet and equated that to 2 in 1's doing the job of both a tablet and a laptop -- not that a smart phone can effectively replace a laptop.   Sorry if I didn't express that clearly.

But  Apple forces you to buy one device for each category. 

CPU, RAM and storage are not issues (except at the highest ends of performance).  But Apple keeps their OS's separate making them an issue.  Others have resolved that problem.

I understand. And I agree that the differences between iOS and iPadOS aren’t big enough to require anyone to have both, as opposed to a laptop or desktop. Again, my problem is the size - half an iPad Mini is too big for a phone, in my (seldom) humble opinion and an iPhone that doubles in size is too small for me to use as a tablet. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple really does move forward with this. If they do, we can be sure that they see a market for it. 

georgebmac

fred1 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

I merely related that foldable phones can do the job of both a smart phone and a (small) tablet and equated that to 2 in 1's doing the job of both a tablet and a laptop -- not that a smart phone can effectively replace a laptop.   Sorry if I didn't express that clearly.

But  Apple forces you to buy one device for each category. 

CPU, RAM and storage are not issues (except at the highest ends of performance).  But Apple keeps their OS's separate making them an issue.  Others have resolved that problem.

I understand. And I agree that the differences between iOS and iPadOS aren’t big enough to require anyone to have both, as opposed to a laptop or desktop. Again, my problem is the size - half an iPad Mini is too big for a phone, in my (seldom) humble opinion and an iPhone that doubles in size is too small for me to use as a tablet. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple really does move forward with this. If they do, we can be sure that they see a market for it. 

At 6.7" the iPad Pro Max* already rivals the size the of iPad Mini at 8.2" (original 7.9").

Now say you double that with a foldable phone and it is greater than the iPad itself which is "only" 10.2".

That could be a formidable computer in your pocket

* Admittedly, the Pro Max is a VERY big phone and not for everybody -- including me.   But even doubling the size of the iPhone Pro gives you a bigger screen than either the Mini or the regular iPad.