The first foldable iPhone: will it come after all?

While rival Samsung will soon launch its sixth generation of foldable phones, we are still waiting for the first iPhone with a foldable screen. Apple is still seriously working on a foldable iPhone. Information reports Based on sources who know more about Apple's plans. Foldable iPhone prototypes are still in the early stages of development.

Apple has been investigating the possibility of a foldable iPhone since 2018. There are now two prototypes, both of which fold up like a flip phone, similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip.

Make it as thin as possible

Apple recently talked to Asian manufacturers about ordering components for a foldable iPhone in two sizes, according to The Information. However, this does not mean that the introduction of the first foldable iPhone is a certainty. Apple may still decide to cancel the project if the end result is unsatisfactory.

One challenge is that Apple wants to make the device as thin as possible. The designers want to make the device half as thin as current iPhones, so that the device is not too thick when closed. Apple is also considering outward-facing displays, so you can use them when you fold your iPhone.

Invisible fold in the middle

The foldable iPhone project was put on hold around 2020, after which Apple continued working on a prototype of an 8-inch foldable iPad. It is easier to develop a foldable tablet because the iPad can be thicker, but the arrival of such a foldable tablet is uncertain.

The foldable iPhone project has now been revived. Apple wants to make the fold in the middle of the display as invisible as possible. When the device is open and flat on the table, you should be able to draw on it with your Apple Pencil.

Popular in China

An additional reason why Apple is making a foldable iPhone is that foldable phones are relatively popular among the Chinese. Recently, iPhone sales in China have declined sharply, which is an increasing problem for Apple. While foldable phones from Xiaomi and Huawei sell well in China.

Don't expect to be able to fold the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 just yet. It will likely take several years before Apple is satisfied with its first foldable iPhone.

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