The latest leaked news says that Apple has paused the folding screen iPhone development project due to strict screen requirements that have not been met by partners.
MacRumors Quoting Fix Focus Digital, a famous technology blogger on Weibo in China, said Apple has been testing foldable phones in the research and development process since 2016.
Temporarily suspending the folding screen iPhone project because Apple’s strict requirements have not been met by partners.
Of these, at least one device uses a screen manufactured by Samsung. Samsung is currently the main screen panel supplier for Apple devices. The Korean screen manufacturer is also expected to continue providing screens for Apple’s folding devices in the future.
A recent report also revealed that Samsung is trying to increase the performance of foldable screens, using its experience in manufacturing this type of screen for many years, to anticipate folding products. Apple’s first.
However, news has just leaked that the latest folding screen panel was damaged during Apple’s strict internal testing process.
This has caused Apple to pause the entire folding device project, at least until its partner’s screen can meet Apple’s standards.
Report from The Information Earlier this month, it was said that Apple had built at least two foldable iPhone prototypes after more than 5 years of research and development.
These two iPhone prototypes have a clamshell folding style, but it is not part of Apple’s roadmap for introducing new products in 2024 and 2025. The report further notes that these iPhone Folding screens can still be canceled if they do not meet Apple’s strict standards.
It is also unclear whether the announcement to stop the project will affect Apple’s continued development of the folding iPad. Some previous reports suggested that Apple was paying more attention to a device larger than the foldable iPhone because it would not need to meet the same high durability requirements as with the iPhone.
Earlier this month, information from The Elec of Korea said that Apple seems to be considering launching its first folding screen device in the next few years with a size of 7 to 8 inches to replace the 8.3 inch iPad mini. The launch time frame for this device is being considered by Apple between 2026 and 2027.
In addition, Apple is also said to be working on a 20.5-inch folding screen product, which is expected to launch later than the 7 to 8-inch device.
CEO Tim Cook first mentioned to the company’s engineers and designers about a foldable iPhone many years ago. Up to now, Apple still considers technical issues as well as the high price of the product. The current price of direct competitors such as Samsung folding smartphones is between 1,000 USD and nearly 2,000 USD, so it is certain that the price of Apple’s first folding iPhone will range from 1,100 to 2,000 USD.
