Update: The foldable iPhone could launch next year.
With the success of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, demand has been percolating among some hardcore Apple faithful for the company to make a true iPhone Flip. Well, for those holding out for a potential 2022 release, it might be worth upgrading to the iPhone 13 for the time being or holding out for the iPhone 14.
A new blog post by Display Supply Chain Consultants, or DSCC, claims that Apple will not introduce a foldable iPhone in 2023. The news comes way of MacRumors. Ross Young, co-founder and CEO at DSCC, believes that a foldable iPhone won't be seen until 2023 at the earliest, maybe 2024. Mr. Young didn't detail exactly how he and his team had come to this conclusion.
In an email to Tom's Guide, Mr. Young clarified that information is "based on discussions with members of their display supply chains which consist of panel suppliers, backlight manufacturers, LED manufacturers, other materials suppliers, etc."
DSCC's report does fall in line with other analysts. Prominent Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said earlier this year that we should not expect to see an iPhone foldable until 2023. Apple leaker Jon Prosser also felt a 2022 release was too optimistic for Apple. If these reports turn out to be true, then likely Samsung will continue to rule our best foldable phones list for all of next year.
As for specs, Kuo believes that the iPhone Flip will have a massive display at 8 inches. However, a different report claims that Apple is working with LG on a 7.5-inch OLED display.
A market has grown around the foldable space. For Samsung, the Z Fold 3 is pushing sales 40x higher than Z Fold 2. This could suggest great consumer interest in different form factors from the sleek glass slabs that have adorned phone shops for the past decade. And the Z series are not inexpensive either, with the Flip 3 starting at $999 and the Fold 3 starting at $1,799. Likely, the iPhone Flip will be a high-priced gadget as well.
Presumably, Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in 2022, and there are some early rumors about what to expect. We've heard an improved under-display camera, and a lighter design, and we'd expect the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip powering the phone.
If Apple decides to sit on the foldable sidelines for another year, that gives the company a better opportunity to get the category right. But it also gives Samsung a chance to better solidify its lead in foldables.
Either way, we're excited to see greater competition in the foldable phone space, especially since the Google Pixel Fold is apparently shelved as well.
