After using my iPP10.5 as my primary personal computer and various MBP15/16 models issued from work for the past 7 years, I'm thinking my number 1 requirement for a folding iPad or folding MacBook is that the display must be fingerprint resistant and fingerprints must be able to be wiped away with at most a dry microfiber cloth. Same with stains, droplets, dust, etc.
If I have to use a cleaning solution for it to be clean, it just isn't going to happen all that often and I think so for most everyone else, and they end up with grimy, oily fingerprinted devices. I think this retards sales and may mean this class of device stays a very small niche. It makes it look and feel less premium.
There are several folding display Windows models, and they all seem to ship with a hardware keyboard accessory. That is a fail, imo. The 18.8" display model when folded in half will be, at 16:10 aspect ratio, will be about 13.8" diagonal. Carrying that keyboard accessory, plus others, means it is going to be about 5 to 6 lb of stuff. On the heavier side.
It is quite apparent that Apple is, not surprisingly, aware of the biggest problem with foldable screens: How do you maintain the precise alignment of critical screen elements when you fold a surface consisting of multiple layers? When you fold a stack of papers, it will always try to fan on the edges parallel to the fold. If you clamp down on the edges to prevent fanning, then the region on the sheets away from the clamped edges will naturally separate as you fold it. This is the action that causes the creases on folding screens to break during normal use.
Apple gave us a glimpse of an approach that they're thinking of with that patent on stretchable screens. This is a very challenging problem in materials science. As we all know, things that are designed to stretch eventually lose their elasticity and will either snap when you stretch them or fail to return to their original shape. Materials scientists have been working on this problem forever and I don't think they've come up with something durable enough to last a laptop's or phone's normal lifetime.
Count me as highly skeptical that an Apple product with a foldable screen is just around the corner.
You are going to think I’m crazy but I have a “folding MacBook Pro” right now! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahshajahahahahhahaahahahhaaaaaaaahahhahaha
Comments
If I have to use a cleaning solution for it to be clean, it just isn't going to happen all that often and I think so for most everyone else, and they end up with grimy, oily fingerprinted devices. I think this retards sales and may mean this class of device stays a very small niche. It makes it look and feel less premium.
There are several folding display Windows models, and they all seem to ship with a hardware keyboard accessory. That is a fail, imo. The 18.8" display model when folded in half will be, at 16:10 aspect ratio, will be about 13.8" diagonal. Carrying that keyboard accessory, plus others, means it is going to be about 5 to 6 lb of stuff. On the heavier side.
I assume it will be robust.
Apple gave us a glimpse of an approach that they're thinking of with that patent on stretchable screens. This is a very challenging problem in materials science. As we all know, things that are designed to stretch eventually lose their elasticity and will either snap when you stretch them or fail to return to their original shape. Materials scientists have been working on this problem forever and I don't think they've come up with something durable enough to last a laptop's or phone's normal lifetime.
Count me as highly skeptical that an Apple product with a foldable screen is just around the corner.
give the guy who writes the titles a raise!