Folding iPhone & under-screen Face ID rumored arrival date pushed back -- again

AppleInsider

A market researcher is now making the claim that Apple will have both folding iPhones and under-screen Face ID -- but both won't be ready to launch for years.

The 'iPhone Fold' is expected to take design cues from existing Apple products

It's been reported previously that the iPhone 16 Pro will move to an under-panel Face ID sensor and presumably therefore end the need for either a notch or the Dynamic Island. Apple has also been said to be working on two prototype folding iPhones -- if it hasn't abandoned the idea entirely.

According to The Elec, however, senior market researcher Omdia Kang Min-soo has been telling the 2024 Korea Display Conference audience that Apple will have foldables and under-panel Face ID later than expected. The iPhone 17 range will include a foldable, but it will be the iPhone 18 Pro that could go full-screen without a Dynamic Island.

"Apple predicts to launch a 7- to 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2026," Min-soo said. "Next year, the iPhone SE4 with low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT OLED will come out, and if the iPhone 17 series applies LTPO TFT in all four models in the second half of next year, Apple should also have to differentiate the iPhone lineup."

The researcher claims that this differentiation will come from hiding the Face ID sensor under the display. He says Apple had originally intended to add this to the 2024 iPhone 16, but now claims that it will be introduced in 2027 -- later than other rumor sources believe.

It's the introduction of a foldable iPhone that this researcher thinks will also further differentiate Apple from its rivals, despite those rivals already having folding smartphones. In Apple's case, he argues that an iPhone that folds out to 7-inch or 8-inch screen size would make it like an iPad mini.

Such an iPhone Fold would be like an iPad mini with an OLED screen. Consequently, he claims that when "a 7-inch foldable product is released... it can aim for synergy or differentiation with the iPad mini."

Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo does not have an established track record in Apple News, and nor does the Korea Display Conference. However, The Elec has strong supply chain contacts, even if it is sometimes off the mark with its predictions of Apple's plans.

Rumor Score: Possible

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Pema

looks like Apple has lost its core.
More fiascos after the Apple car titanic

BeOS User

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

jimh2

"Apple predicts to launch a 7- to 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2026," Min-soo said.

Apple did not predict anything or make any statement related to a foldable phone.

What did happen is Min-soo made this up out of thin air.

charlesn

BeOS User said:

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

You should learn how to read a financial report. Apple Services--a division that didn't exist while Jobs was alive--is now Apple's crown jewel, producing 33% more revenue at the higest profit margins than the Mac and iPad businesses COMBINED. Meanwhile, the Wearables division--also not in existence while Jobs was alive--generates about 50% more revenue than either Macs or iPads. So much for "riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs." And even what is arguably the crown jewel of Steve's creations--the iPhone--is WAY more successful now than it ever was while Steve was alive... as is Apple, as an overall company. The iPhone X--which was Apple's defining leap into the mobile phone future--didn't debut until six years after Steve's death. Meanwhile, Samsung has been in the foldable screen phone business for the past four years and it remains barely a pimple on the butt of mobile phone sales. But yeah, Apple should definitely be rushing to get its share of that nothing burger or it is doomed! 

lordjohnwhorfin

BeOS User said:

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

Oh for crying out loud. Have you seen the current tech for folding phones? It’s garbage. Apple is not going to put its name on a crappy product that has a crease right in the middle of the screen. If and when the technology allows making a reliable phone with a creaseless screen, they’ll make one. Until then we’ll have to make do with Tim Apple lack of creativity and inferior, boring, not-at-all innovative products like AirPods, AirTags, Vision Pro… </s>

avon b7

lordjohnwhorfin said:

BeOS User said:

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

Oh for crying out loud. Have you seen the current tech for folding phones? It’s garbage. Apple is not going to put its name on a crappy product that has a crease right in the middle of the screen. If and when the technology allows making a reliable phone with a creaseless screen, they’ll make one. Until then we’ll have to make do with Tim Apple lack of creativity and inferior, boring, not-at-all innovative products like AirPods, AirTags, Vision Pro… </s>

There is nothing 'garbage' about the state of almost all current folding phones and creases are a tradeoff and literally invisible in use. 

They are tradeoffs, like the notch and big bezels. Remember those? 

Two things stood out at MWC. One, probably the entire Mercedes fleet of shiny black mini vans with tinted windows, and two, the amount of folding phones being used by visitors. 

Cesar Battistini Maziero

With vision pro, I see no reason to go that route.

Soon vision pro will be compact enough to be a daily driver.

9secondkox2

Cesar Battistini Maziero said:

With vision pro, I see no reason to go that route.

Soon vision pro will be compact enough to be a daily driver.

Apple isn’t going to put all its eggs in one basket. There will be multiple computing options. 

9secondkox2

avon b7 said:

lordjohnwhorfin said:

BeOS User said:

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

Oh for crying out loud. Have you seen the current tech for folding phones? It’s garbage. Apple is not going to put its name on a crappy product that has a crease right in the middle of the screen. If and when the technology allows making a reliable phone with a creaseless screen, they’ll make one. Until then we’ll have to make do with Tim Apple lack of creativity and inferior, boring, not-at-all innovative products like AirPods, AirTags, Vision Pro… </s>

There is nothing 'garbage' about the state of almost all current folding phones and creases are a tradeoff and literally invisible in use. 

They are tradeoffs, like the notch and big bezels. Remember those? 

Two things stood out at MWC. One, probably the entire Mercedes fleet of shiny black mini vans with tinted windows, and two, the amount of folding phones being used by visitors. 

Um no. Current foldable phones are trash. The creases are clearly visible and wear. 

The Microsoft model had two separate screens that had a seem in the middle when folded so it was t perfect. But it was the only one that didn’t turn to trash after heavy use. And it’s gone already. 

It’s a nice gimmick so far for as long as it lasts. 

AppleZulu

How can they push back the date of something that's never going to happen?

pulseimages

It’s possible I don’t care anymore. 

kkqd1337

I have seen the current gen folding phones and I have to agree with others here - they are not good at all

until apple can overhaul the current technology they are best sticking to a single screen

Grizzmick

charlesn said:

BeOS User said:

If this report is true, (a huge IF) a folding iPhone would be the first major design change since 2007 and the original 4GB iPhone. Yes, Apple has lost it, they've been riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs influence ever since. 

You should learn how to read a financial report. Apple Services--a division that didn't exist while Jobs was alive--is now Apple's crown jewel, producing 33% more revenue at the higest profit margins than the Mac and iPad businesses COMBINED. Meanwhile, the Wearables division--also not in existence while Jobs was alive--generates about 50% more revenue than either Macs or iPads. So much for "riding the Ghost of Steve Jobs." And even what is arguably the crown jewel of Steve's creations--the iPhone--is WAY more successful now than it ever was while Steve was alive... as is Apple, as an overall company. The iPhone X--which was Apple's defining leap into the mobile phone future--didn't debut until six years after Steve's death. Meanwhile, Samsung has been in the foldable screen phone business for the past four years and it remains barely a pimple on the butt of mobile phone sales. But yeah, Apple should definitely be rushing to get its share of that nothing burger or it is doomed! 

Apple will never do a foldable phone or iPad because its dumb. Apple is not stupid 

bushman4

Apple would never make a product that doesn’t add to their revenue. A folding iPhone would only steal sales from the regular iPhone and truth be told there’s still a crease factor that nobody has overcome yet

tht

bushman4 said:

Apple would never make a product that doesn’t add to their revenue. A folding iPhone would only steal sales from the regular iPhone and truth be told there’s still a crease factor that nobody has overcome yet

My pet theory is that these squarer 7” to 8” form factors which those folding phones unfold to are in an input zone of death, thusly limiting usage while unfolded to reading and watching activities. You can’t thumb type and you can’t touch type like on a 0.75” spaced keyboard. 

As soon as you want to type a message, it’s just easier to fold it up and type on the outside screen. That’s why the outside screen is out there. 

Then the flip phone style of folding phone doesn’t buy you anything. They unfold to a regular sized 6” to 7” 2:1 aspect ratio phone. The only thing offered is “coolness” factor, as most everyone can put 6” to 7” phones in pockets and purses. 

Not sure if there is a set of aspect ratios where it would work out well for folded and unfolded. For a laptop or tablet, 5:4 or 4:3 folded and 8:5 and 6:4 unfolded sound like good usable ratios for both. 

danox

jimh2 said:

"Apple predicts to launch a 7- to 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2026," Min-soo said.

Apple did not predict anything or make any statement related to a foldable phone.

What did happen is Min-soo made this up out of thin air.

And a class action lawsuit in 2027 relating to said folding phone shortly afterwards.

doggone

What does Apple do?  They watch potential new markets and release a product to solve most of worse aspects of the competition.
So there is no doubt that Apple foldable phones will be released.  The big question is when.  The answer to that is when Apple know they have the right solution.

charlesn

bushman4 said:

Apple would never make a product that doesn’t add to their revenue. A folding iPhone would only steal sales from the regular iPhone and truth be told there’s still a crease factor that nobody has overcome yet

As far as stealing sales from regular iPhones: probably true now, but not necessarily true in the future. Steve Jobs famously did not like larger screen phones and the iPhone didn't offer one until three years after his death with the 6 Plus. But it was clear by that time that Apple was missing out on a big market of buyers who wanted larger screen phones and were buying them from competitors. So while sales of the 6 Plus undoubtedly "stole sales" from the regular 6, it also grew the market of buyers for iPhones and so increased overall sales. The market for folding phones is still relatively small, and so offers little opportunity to increase overall sales. But if folding phones take off like larger screen sizes did, and Apple decides to offer one, then it wouldn't just cannibalize existing iPhone sales. 

avon b7

tht said:

bushman4 said:

Apple would never make a product that doesn’t add to their revenue. A folding iPhone would only steal sales from the regular iPhone and truth be told there’s still a crease factor that nobody has overcome yet

My pet theory is that these squarer 7” to 8” form factors which those folding phones unfold to are in an input zone of death, thusly limiting usage while unfolded to reading and watching activities. You can’t thumb type and you can’t touch type like on a 0.75” spaced keyboard. 

As soon as you want to type a message, it’s just easier to fold it up and type on the outside screen. That’s why the outside screen is out there. 

Then the flip phone style of folding phone doesn’t buy you anything. They unfold to a regular sized 6” to 7” 2:1 aspect ratio phone. The only thing offered is “coolness” factor, as most everyone can put 6” to 7” phones in pockets and purses. 

Not sure if there is a set of aspect ratios where it would work out well for folded and unfolded. For a laptop or tablet, 5:4 or 4:3 folded and 8:5 and 6:4 unfolded sound like good usable ratios for both. 

Gboard is available for folding phones and has split keyboard options for thumb-typing and floating options. Samsung also uses a native split keyboard option and the Chinese brands also do the same. 

nubus

Grizzmick said:

Apple will never do a foldable phone or iPad because its dumb. Apple is not stupid 

Apple has delivered a lot of seriously stupid tech. Butterfly keyboards - 3 generations and 7 years of repairs, the expensive Touch Bar that never went beyond MBP, the also expensive 3D Touch, and a Mac Pro generation that was Trash by design. All of those are gone.

Apple need to test new stuff and do small batches. Perhaps use the Beats brand or something that isn't directly Apple.