A new patent filing by Apple for “User Interfaces For Devices With Multiple Displays” shows how such interfaces might work on the rumored foldable iPhone and foldable iPad.
Analyst Jeff Pu claims that a foldable iPhone and foldable iPad will arrive in 2026. He says both devices will be entering mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026. This could result in a release of the devices before the end of that year. An “iPhone Fold” has been rumored for some time. It will purportedly have a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display, according to Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station
This lines up with an X post from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that said Apple will use liquid metal hinges in the upcoming foldable iPhone. Presumably, such tech will also be used in the rumored foldable iPads and Macs.
About the patent filing
The patent relates relates generally to electronic devices that have multiple displays for displaying various content, and user interactions with such devices. It notes that various apps running on an “iPhone Fold” or “iPad Fold” would optionally use at least one common physical user-interface device, such as the touch-sensitive surface along with a non-touch screen.
One or more functions of the touch-sensitive surface as well as corresponding information displayed on the device are, optionally, adjusted and/or varied from one application to the next and/or within a respective application. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as the touch-sensitive surface) of the device optionally supports the variety of applications with user interfaces that are intuitive and transparent to the user.
Summary of the patent filing
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “In some embodiments, an electronic device displays and allows user interaction with content on multiple displays. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays three-dimensional content using coordinated views on multiple displays. In some embodiments, an electronic device shares content while displaying a video conferencing user interface. In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates the display or keeping private of content on multiple displays.
“In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates the display of information from applications using a shared graphical input coordinate space. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents indications of notifications. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents representations of items of content that are related to content presented on the one or more electronic devices. In some embodiments, an electronic device presents user interfaces including a soft keyboard.”
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