Will Apple launch a folding phone soon?

This will certainly make a lot of sense, helping Apple catch up with other competitors like Huawei, Samsung and Motorola.

But when will we be able to see a folding iPhone? What will it look like? Let's see everything known about the folding iPhone so far.

Apple holds many folding iPhone patents

Let's start with one thing we really know for sure – Apple holds many patents for the folding iPhone. Specifically, Apple holds a USPTO patent for a folding iPhone with an external display.

A patent from 2016 details an iPhone that folds in half horizontally, using a flexible OLED display and a metal hinge. Both halves of the screen are still accessible when the phone is turned off. Another Apple patent describes two screens connected by magnets that can be used together.

This suggests that Apple is developing both a clamshell-style flip phone like the Galaxy Z Flip and a larger device like the Galaxy Fold.

Furthermore, another Apple patent shows work on a protective layer for the folding ‌iPhone‌ that will resist cracking. According to this patent, the ‌iPhone‌ will have a hard layer that can fill in existing small cracks to prevent larger cracks from appearing.

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There are plenty of other patents for Apple's folding phones. There are even patents exploring how Touch ID could make its way back to a folding iPhone. Obviously this is something Apple is actively working on.

A positive sign with these patents is that many Apple analysts have been informed that prototype devices are being tested. Jon Prosser, explains that prototype shells are being tested, in an episode of Front Page Tech. Ming-Chi Kuo has detailed expected screen sizes, and Ross Young and Mark Gurman talked about the device being tested.

It should be noted that many patents will never come to fruition. A patent only confirms that a company is working on a product, not that the product will actually hit the market.

How big would a folding iPhone be?

The report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with an accuracy rate of 75% on AppleTrack, explains that the folding iPhone will have an 8-inch screen. In addition, there is also a 9-inch screen being tested.

The 8-inch screen will be larger than the current iPad mini (which is one of the best Apple makes) or the Galaxy Fold. It aligns with more recent reports from Ben Wood that Apple will release a front-folding iPad.

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From these reports, it seems that Apple is developing a product to compete with the Galaxy Fold first, before moving to a folding phone. An 8-inch display would have to have a Galaxy Fold-style form factor, due to size issues. In addition, the lack of information surrounding the size of the clamshell folding iPhone suggests that it may be released later. As always, this information has not been confirmed or denied by Apple.

What features could the folding iPhone have?

Let's start with the screen. Based on Apple patents, it looks like the folding iPhone will come with an OLED display. That's not unusual for Apple, but it's nice to be confirmed.

Apple introduced 120Hz displays on the iPhone 13 series, with ProMotion screen technology. Therefore, it would make sense for the 120Hz standard to appear on folding screens. Both Samsung's Galaxy Fold and Flip devices have 120Hz displays, so it's entirely possible. There are rumors of an e-ink display from Ming-Chi Kuo for an external monitor, but this seems less likely.

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When it comes to the camera, we can see similar upgrades. Usually, leaks refer specifically to changes to the iPhone's camera. It looks like a high-end folding iPhone will have 3 cameras and a LiDAR sensor, like the current iPhone Pro.

Folding iPhone could reintroduce Touch ID. Touch ID has been rumored to make its way back to the iPhone for years, but nothing has happened so far. Perhaps the folding iPhone would be a more suitable device to reintroduce Touch ID, with the folding screen banning the Face ID sensor in the notch. There is still a debate about which method is more secure, so including Touch ID and Face ID would be the best choice.

There is no information about other features. More features will likely come with iOS software updates that year.

How much will the folding iPhone cost?

The price of the folding iPhone is not an easy factor to predict. There are many factors that determine this, including when the device was released, what size was released first, and the price of the competition at the time.

The Galaxy Fold 5 currently retails for $1,799, which isn't much of a drop from its initial launch. The foldable device is relatively new, so it is likely that the price will be very high.

However, the folding design could be more reasonable. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, priced at $999, is one of the cheapest foldable devices available today. It costs the same as a basic iPhone 14 Pro. So perhaps Apple will release this model first, attracting more audience.

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If other folding devices drop in price a bit, Apple could follow suit. Apple and Samsung typically retail flagship devices at identical (or roughly equal) prices, so it's likely that this trend will continue on folding devices.

When will Apple release the folding iPhone?

Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the first folding iPhone would launch in 2023. But it seems that this will not happen.

Analyst Ross Young has reported that he expects the folding phone to launch in 2024. Gurman disagrees with a release date of 2024, but also does not make a specific prediction.

As you can see, Apple's folding phone may be coming soon, because Apple is a few years behind its competitors, if it continues to wait, it will continue to lag further behind. But it's all just speculation in the end. .

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Leaks and rumors aside, Apple will refresh the iPhone form in 2024 or 2025. If Apple follows the usual release model of iPhone 6, iPhone X, and iPhone 14, then 2024 is the time. the earliest point where we can expect the next big change in iPhone design.

Samuel Daniel

Update 03 August 2023