We’re Getting A Foldable iPhone
With several patents being filed from Apple, it looks like consumers will soon be able to get their hands on a foldable iPhone.
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With Apple continuing to register patents for a foldable iPhone, it looks like it’s just a matter of time before we get our hands on it. However, the company is in no rush to set a launch date for consumers. We may want to see a foldable iPhone with an eight-inch display as soon as possible, but the company seems like they’re waiting until they get the new device just right before releasing it to consumers. After all of their recent troubles with the iPhone 12, getting it right is more important than ever.
So what will the foldable iPhone look like? With the company patenting so many various ideas for the foldable iPhone, it’s hard to tell what they will go with in the end. Their final result needs to be easy for them to mass produce, match with what iPhone users have come to expect from previous models, and – naturally – work well. A foldable iPhone needs to be durable, and last long for those who don’t necessarily upgrade to each new version of the iPhone. With that in mind, the company has patents for flip-up displays, origami-style phones, and wrap-around displays. Apple experts like Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg agree that the current foldable iPhone Apple will likely have a traditional fold-out display, and will open up to have either a 7.5 inch or 8-inch screen.
Patents and rumors of the foldable iPhone started in early 2020. At the time, many believed that 2021 would be the year Apple would release its new design. After all, Samsung and Motorola have multiple foldable phones on the market, and each option folds in different ways. Some of these don’t even look like they’ll fit in your pocket, while some models work like old flip phones. Is that a fun vintage note at this point or do users hate it?
Moreover, some of the phones have visible creases at the fold. The Samsung Z Fold and Z Flip both have crease lines going down the center of your screen. That doesn’t seem like something Apple users are going to get behind for the foldable iPhone. This means Apple will need to wait for their glass provider to help them create an option that avoids this. Once they do, will they be able to develop an end product that stays within budget?
Price is a big topic when it comes to foldable phones. Samsung’s Fold 2 is a $2,000 phone. That is more than twice what a high-quality Samsung phone would cost otherwise. Apple phones have never been an inexpensive option, but how high can a foldable iPhone be priced and stay within customer expectations?
At this point, Apple isn’t in a hurry when it comes to the foldable iPhone. It seems like we will see Apple’s take on the design in the near future, but they still need to get a few more pieces right. When does that mean we can expect to see the final products up and for sale? While Apple isn’t giving us any hints, industry experts are saying we should expect that upgrade option in 2023.
