I’m still dubious that Apple plans a foldable iPhone, but Samsung Display has carried out an organizational reorganization to focus on the ability to respond to upcoming Apple foldable products, reports The Elec.
The article adds that both Samsung and LG Display are working on foldable displays up to 20.25 inches for the tech giant. If The Elec is right, Apple could be working on foldable iPhones, iPad, and Macs. Ad in October DigiTimes reported that Apple is working with suppliers to develop a foldable iPad.
The article says that small-scale production could begin as early as the end of 2024 with Apple announcing such a product in late 2024 or early 2025.
This isn’t a new prediction. In January, a series of tweets by the usually-accurate analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple will release a foldable iPad with a carbon fiber kickstand next year. He says a carbon fiber kickstand will enable it to be lighter and more durable. Kuo thinks a foldable iPad will boost shipments and improve the product mix.
Admittedly, there are have numerous reports and patent filings by Apple to hint at foldable iPads, as well as foldable iPhones. An April 2022 article by The Elec claimed that Apple is working with LG to develop a foldable OLED display panel with “ultra-thin” cover glass for future iPads and Mac laptops.
Also, Apple has filed for, and/or been granted, several patents for foldable devices over the years. One is for a “foldable cover and display for an electronic device” configured to be moved between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration by bending the cover layer along the foldable region. Others granted patents are for “folding devices with geared hinges.”
Speaking of foldable devices, a July 21 rumor claimed that Apple is working on a 20-inch Mac laptop with a foldable display. And, of course, rumors of a foldable iPhone have abounded for years.
Still, I’m skeptical that we’ll see an “iPad Fold,” “iPhone Fold,” or “MacBook Fold” anything in the near future.
