Apple is currently working on two models of the “iPhone” with a vertically foldable design, similar to the Samsung “Galaxy Flip” phones, but it faces some challenges to achieve this step, according to “The Information“.
The American technology giant company is currently focusing on testing the effectiveness of the vertical folding mechanism, and whether it will enhance the process of user interaction with the new device, but its plans do not include expanded production of its foldable phones until after 2025.
Apple is interested in designing experimental models of its foldable phones with a screen on the outer side of the devices, but the company’s engineers discovered that this is difficult, because the outer screen becomes easy to break with this design.
One of the main challenges that Apple’s engineering team faces with the idea of foldable phones is trying to make the thickness of the devices similar to current iPhones, but the size of the battery and screen components make achieving this complicated.
Apple is cooperating with at least one manufacturer in Asia to obtain the components needed to design and manufacture a foldable iPhone, according to The Information.
But it seems that it is not only seeking to provide foldable phones, and another report indicated that the American company is also focusing on manufacturing a foldable “iPad” device, so that it is the size of an “iPad mini” when folded, and it is expected that it will not reach the markets before 2026 or 2027. .
Promising devices
The foldable phone market is considered one of the most promising markets for personal electronic devices, and a report issued by the “Foldable Phones” Foundation revealedCounterpointThe research revealed that sales of foldable phones reached 16 million units in 2023, representing 1.6% of the total sales of leading smartphones during the past year, and its report expects that this percentage to reach 33% by 2027.
The South Korean company “Samsung” is considered one of the most important players in this market, as it succeeded in achieving sales of 10 million units of its foldable phones, whether vertically with the “Galaxy Flip”, or horizontally with the “Galaxy Fold”, during the past year, and aims to double. This number will rise to 20 million units during the current year.
