- A leaker says Apple is working on a second folding iPhone prototype, but the clamshell device would not launch anytime soon.
- The foldable iPhone is said to look like the Galaxy Z Flip phone, with a foldable OLED display from Samsung.
- The handset could have a September 2022 release date at the earliest, but there are no guarantees whatsoever.
Samsung has been teasing foldable phones for years before finally taking the plunge last year. Samsung felt it was ready to launch the world’s first foldable handset, which turned out not to be the world’s first foldable phone. And the Galaxy Fold turned out not to be a well thought-out design either. Samsung had to cancel the late April launch after reviewers discovered two major problems with the phone. The foldable screen had a screen protective cover that would destroy the screen if removed. In addition, the hinge allowed dirt to get into the phone, which also affected the screen. It took Samsung five months to launch an updated version of the handset. The Z Flip and Z Fold 2 that followed did not repeat those mistakes. But Galaxy Fold’s failed launch proved that the technology was not ready for the kind of smartphone that many people wanted.
Fast forward to the end of 2020, and we have a new rumor describing what kind of foldable handset many people would like to see. That’s a clamshell iPhone with a folding screen similar to the Z Flip. But that device is not coming soon.
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YouTuber Jon Prosser, who turned into a prolific leaker, said a few months ago that Apple is developing a foldable iPhone similar to the Galaxy Z Flip. But instead of a continuous folding screen, that device has two different screens separated by a hinge in the center.
In a new video, Prosser said Apple is also prototype folding iPhone with a clamshell design that would have a single, foldable screen. Apple is reportedly testing grenades at a Foxconn factory in Shenzhen. According to its sources, it is not the full phone they are testing. Instead, they look at the durability of the hinge. The phone would eventually get a foldable screen from Samsung, instead of a microLED panel.
The report says Apple will decide on one of the two folding prototypes described above, rather than launch one of each. Reports that a foldable iPhone could be good in September 2022 are “a good bet,” said Prosser. A release in 2022 or 2023 would make sense given current progress.
Samsung is expected to launch at least one new foldable launch next year, and other Android phone vendors could do the same. After all, Huawei and Motorola have already launched their first foldable handsets, and several other Chinese smartphone makers have teased some of their concepts.
By the time the first foldable iPhone comes out in 2022 or later, there will be plenty of foldable handsets on the market.
It’s not uncommon for Apple to take its time with new technology. The good news here is that Apple isn’t rushing the foldable iPhone. Apple will do it when it is confident that it can provide a premium folding experience. By then we expect more innovations that will benefit foldable devices, including better hinge technologies and foldable glass display technologies that will increase the durability of such devices. Not to mention that the price has to drop significantly. Even phones like the Galaxy Z Flip or Motorola’s foldable Razr are more expensive than high-end regular flagships.
There is also no guarantee that Apple will continue with its foldable iPhone plans if the final product does not meet its standards. Apple patents prove that the company is studying all kinds of technologies, even though not all of them will end up in commercial products.
The full video from Prosser follows below.
Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby and before he knew it, he shared his thoughts on tech stuff with readers around the world. When he doesn’t write about gadgets, he sadly fails to stay away from them, although he desperately tries. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.