Looking back: Apple’s Newton line was discontinued 25 years ago

Last year Lenovo unveiled a proof-of-concept laptop with a display that can expand upwards, giving the user more screen real estate. It’s not the first company to dabble with such tech. Could Apple one day incorporate such tech into Mac laptops or iPads?

As noted by PC Mag, Lenovo created the products using rollable screen technology. The flexible OLED panels can be rolled up inside a smartphone or laptop like a scroll, and then unfurled to expand the screen. As PC Mag noted, the main challenges will be making the devices affordable and preventing the rollable screen technology from breaking down over time due to excessive use.  

Both are reasons why I’m not holing my breath waiting for a foldable Mac or iPad. As TechRadar noted, virtually every folding device from phones to tablets has had criticisms leveled at them for being easier to damage than a conventional display. 

Also, currently available foldable laptops can’t reasonably incorporate a discrete graphics card, which is a drawback. Plus, a rollable laptop might consume more energy due to the larger display size. 

I think TechRadar’s Christian Guyton summed the situation up perfectly: Perhaps in five years, or ten, or twenty, we’ll be using sexy, flexy screens in every aspect of our lives. But now’s not the time – and while I do respect companies like Lenovo and Asus for pushing the envelope with interesting new designs, we’re not going to see them selling big any time soon.

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