Everyone wants to see an iPhone Flip, Apple's first ever attempt at a foldable phone. In case you weren't convinced Apple would try something so radical with its designs, there's a new leak that has helped shed some light.
Regular leaker Jon Prosser waded into a discussion about foldable iPhones, and was persuaded to reveal that Apple is indeed working on such a device. He also divulged a few design details, and it's sounding like Apple's first foldable could be quite different from the likes of the Galaxy Fold.
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*blink*blinkJune 13, 2020
When pressed by another user to reveal if this device would arrive this year, Prosser quickly shut it down.
pic.twitter.com/RN93E1bRGtJune 13, 2020
This isn't surprising to anyone who has been following the iPhone 12 rumor mill. While this year's big iPhone release will be shaking up the design quite a bit, there won't be anything as radical as a folding display according to the leaks. Assuming Apple's fairly far along with its design, we could end up seeing a foldable iPhone 13, or perhaps the year after with the iPhone 14.
Later, Prosser revealed some additional information about the foldable iPhone. Rather than aiming for a single flexible display like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Apple sounds like it's going after the LG G8X ThinQ school of design. The phone may use two separate displays acting in tandem, with an iPhone 11-style frame and Face ID mounted on the outside to leave the interior displays unblemished.
The memes are funny — but it doesn’t look like they just stuck two phones together. Even though they’re two separate panels, when the displays are extended, it looks fairly continuous and seamless.June 15, 2020
Anyone who fancies a trip into the archives of the USPTO website can see that Apple has several patents for foldable phones. Some are traditional book or clamshell designs, while others are more outlandish, with one notable example being a 'scroll' that has an unravelling display.
However, Apple is known for being what we'll politely call 'fastidious' with its hardware. Unlike its Android rivals who are much more willing to experiment — see the Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr — Apple tends to stick with a similar design for at least a couple of years at a time. The bottom line is that Apple won't be rushing into the foldables market any time soon, even if it is in the process of making one.
Samsung is the biggest player in the foldable phone field right now. With its Galaxy Fold 2 on the way, Samsung's now in a position to refine its designs and cement its position. But don't count out the amazing brand loyalty Apple is capable of wielding, which could make the iPhone Flip a ubiquitous sight very quickly after launch.
