If you’re eager for Apple’s folding device, it may surface next year at the earliest, and it may not be an iPhone.
According to DigiTimes, supply chain sources have stated that Apple has been developing its first foldable product for at least five years. Corroborating previous rumors, the publication claims that the foldable is set to be a “larger device” rather than an iPhone, instead embodying a tablet or notebook. Design efforts on the device are now said to be converging ahead of plans for mass production.
Given that hinge mechanisms for foldable devices have become increasingly advanced in recent years, the main issue for the device may be developing a display panel that meets quality demands. The current report points out that Apple’s rumored suspension of Samsung foldable display panel development and internal reorganization to move Vision Pro engineers to the foldable project are not contradictory moves, since the company is overwhelmingly prioritizing quality.
The report also noted that Apple has not suspended its research and development on foldable devices, and the company now possesses multiple departments responsible for different foldable product lines. Still, Apple’s first foldable device may not launch until 2025 at the earliest, and there may be some considerable work left to be done, no matter which foldable device heads out the door first.