Apple's first foldable screen probably won't be on the iPhone
A new supply chain report denies that Apple has abandoned folding devices, and instead it claims that the company is working on a foldable iPad or MacBook with a folding screen for 2025 or later.
OLED will be at the core of a folding iPad
There have been rumors of an iPhone Fold since at least when Samsung began releasing its foldable range. Yet recently there has been a spate of new, if contradictory, rumors saying Apple has two prototypes, might make a folding iPad instead, or has abandoned the whole idea.
Now Digitimes claims to have information from the supply chain. According to the report, various elements of a design are coming together, and the device will not be an iPhone.
It's not clear what stage the design is at, but the implication is that it's nearing completion. The report says that planning is underway for the mass production of the device.
Similarly, reporting that this device will not be an iPhone, says that it will be an iPad or a MacBook Pro. This doesn't necessarily mean that the rumor of two iPhone fold prototypes is false, but Digitimes does say that work has not been abandoned or disbanded.
Digitimes has a strong reputation for its supply chain sources -- but a considerably poorer one for the conclusions it draws about Apple's plans or schedules. In this case, it's saying a folding device will not appear before 2025 at the earliest.
That fits with a December 2023 report which in part also said that Samsung had reorganized a business group to better service Apple's demands for foldable screens.
Rumor Score: Possible
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
I agree with @danox ;
Why muddy the focus? iPhone's for pocketable devices, iPads for portable iOS devices, Macbooks for portable Mac OS based product and Vision for next generation computing.
Remember if it doesn't make sense to the point where the path to success doesn't seem clear and reasonable them Apple is likely not doing it.
Hey ...according to the Press that Apple Car is due next year right?
They need a growth.
A fordable iPhone would make Apple be more dependent on iPhones.
y2an said:
Makes total sense to take a low volume, low revenue product like the iPad mini and rerelease it as a folding iPad, roughly phone sized when folded, to gauge demand, understand the failure rates and modalities, etc. If it's a killer product, people who don't typically buy iPad Minis will start adoption them.
Personally, I don't want a folding phone, at least anytime soon, and would find it frustrating to see iPhone adopt this form factor.
It will take up the same volume and weigh the same amount and I'll have to continually worry that the screen will fail.
Thinking about this reminds me of void pixel days and having to have x amount before Apple would replace a MacBook screen.
I had a Razer. That form factor had a physical keyboard and a key purpose of folding was to protect the keyboard and the minuscule and fragile plastic screen, while also making it smaller length wise. The purpose of a modern foldable phone with a glass screen would be to reduce footprint when not in use, while doing so sacrifices thinness.
https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/chinas-shipments-of-foldable-smartphones-doubled-for-fourth-straight-year-idc-says
If it doubles again this year and Apple has no equivalent offering, come October, how might things look in China when some have already claimed that the lack of a folding or flip option impacted their latest results in China?
The Razr had appeal and that is clearly one of the selling points of a flip phone. Forget other considerations for a moment.
https://www.gizchina.com/2024/02/22/huawei-pocket-2-flip-smartphone-is-launched/
The Rococo and Grey options for that phone look absolutely gorgeous.
When Razr phone came, there wasn't other better non-flip options and Razr had mechanical hinges that can last longer than folding screen. I like to know after 2-3 years of usage how that folding screen phones of Samsung or Huawei holds ? Initial purchase price and repair cost is also to be considered.
So far there has been no media howling over screen durability problems so I doubt that durability is an issue.
Like I said, even those considerations are second to 'appeal'. That could be enough to clinch the sale.
As for the Razr. While the most popular folding option, there were other options out there like the sliders which I even preferred over the folding phones.
My Sony Ericssons were just as pleasing in the hand and very smooth in motion.