What the story factory thinks the phone Fold will arrive in, and when?

This is a rendering of the iPhone Fold.
Since years, a folding iPhone has been rumored. However, it is still a long way from becoming a real thing. Here’s how the rumor-mill believes the “iPhone Fold” will look, and when it might be released. In the last few years, many smartphone manufacturers have been embracing the idea of foldable smartphones. Samsung Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip devices are among the top sellers on the market. Apple’s iPhones still have a flat single-screen layout, but there are always rumors that something new is on the way. Since years, there have been rumors that Apple would create its own version of the iPhone Fold. If rumors and speculations are to be believed, Apple will introduce a foldable phone. Rumored devices can be hard to predict when they will be released. This is particularly true when it comes entirely new product lines. There are no previous releases to base the release on. The speculation for the iPhone Fold has always been a few more years. Take, for example, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s prediction that an iPhone Fold would be available by 2024. This forecast was made in September 2021. It seems unlikely that this will happen before the end the year in 2024. If it was to ship within months there would be more talk about a release, but at the moment there is none. Updated speculation says that there are still a few years to go. While this claim is unlikely given other rumors, it’s still a few years away. Apple’s long development time for new models is one reason. The rumor mill has also applied this two-year cycle to the iPhone Fold. The 2024 rumors are largely pointing to a release date of 2027. Some speculate that the release will be in late 2026. This is plausible, but some are not. Some 2027 rumors claim that the release of late 2026 has been pushed back to 2027. This is plausible and, due to its far-off date, impossible to refute. It feels right to expect a release in 2027, especially when all we hear are forecasts from analysts. If there were rumors about an earlier release date, they would need to be accompanied with sourcing from the supply chains, or other forms of “evidence”, to make it more credible. We don’t yet know when the device will be released, but we do know that it is still a few more years away. iPhone Fold display technology The display itself is a key component of the foldable screen. The screen would have to be able to fold in half without getting fatigued by creasing at the same spot all the time. Apple has therefore worked with its display partners in order to find solutions to this problem. It was reported that in April 2022 Apple was working with LG Display to develop the concept for an iPad OLED display or MacBook OLED. The display is the most important component of the iPhone Fold. Rumors followed a month after, claiming that such research was being done into foldable iPhone screens. Apple was focusing on developing displays with LG and Samsung in September. The solution, it seems, was to create hybrid OLED panels which combine rigid glass with flexible substrate panels. It is believable that Apple would speak to Samsung and LG regarding the display. Apple would certainly discuss display technology with its two main suppliers of displays for its other product ranges. From a construction perspective, the possibility of mixing flexible plastic substrates with glass also sounds plausible. You want a screen with a perfect working surface, but also one that can bend. iPhone Fold beating creases Although the idea of a folding display would be to have it be book-like, it might not be as simple as having a screen that doesn’t crease. Apple will likely have to include some sort of support structure in the device to minimize these situations. Patent speculation for an iPhone with a display wrapping around the outside was made in 2022. It was a curved display that covered both the front and back. However, it didn’t fold, but it gave an idea of what Apple might be able to do. Apple has also looked at creating complicated hinge mechanisms in the hope that they could support the display’s most vulnerable point. In practice, the display would be firmer to press in the hinge region, instead of relying solely on the tensile strengths of the display. It is always good to have additional support, especially with flexible components. The hinge mechanism is crucial to the durability of the iPhone Fold. Analysts have also speculated that the fold would not be on the “inside”. The screen could be folded around the outside of body. It makes sense because it would reduce the strain on the foldable part by increasing the curve. The screen can be viewed from both sides when folded, which allows for features such as letting the subject of a photo see how they look in-frame. The screen would be constantly exposed, which could lead to damage. It becomes harder to sell the iPhone Fold when you consider that no case can protect a screen that is folded in this way. Patents have also included other ideas, such as stretchable displays. However, they are less likely to appear in an iPhone Fold. Apple has not yet revealed the orientation in which it will fold its display. It could be book-like, like the Galaxy Z Flip or vertically, like the iPhone Fold. According to the iPad rumors, it may be a book-like display that unfolds into a large square. The last time anyone seriously speculated on this element was 2020. It’s as if the rumor-mill accepted this as the most logical conclusion and accepted it to be the most plausible outcome. Apple’s folding iPad or the iPhone Fold? This idea has been repeated over and over again. This may make sense depending on how the iPhone Fold is constructed. The iPhone Fold could theoretically be opened like a square book to offer a large surface area, similar to an iPad mini. Some may consider this to be a folding version of an iPad, rather than an iPhone. This could be a major selling point for consumers since they can have a device that works both as a smartphone and a tablet. The iPhone Fold is likely to have a rear camera setup similar to the Pro models. In 2022, Samsung predicted that Apple would introduce its first foldable tablet by 2024. Samsung is a major display partner for Apple. This claim is not entirely surprising. Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that a foldable iPad will be available by 2024. Around the same time that Kuo made his claim, other people suggested that a foldable tablet wouldn’t be available in 2024. Ross Young, DSCC, said he had not heard of a foldable tablet in 2024. Unsolved mysteries about the iPhone Fold The iPhone Fold has been the subject of many rumors and reports. Most of the focus has been on the display, and Apple’s efforts to make the device foldable. There is very little information about the rest. This is due to a number of factors, including the fact that release dates are still very speculative. Apple’s annual iPhone upgrades and two-year development cycle means that the more conventional components can change a lot. Apple is likely to transfer the components from the top-tier Pro model to the foldable iPhone. This would be logical, since the iPhone Fold will have to be marketed as a premium product to consumers. It would therefore need to have specifications that match. You can look at the iPhone rumors to see the specifications of the iPhone Fold if we ever hear a release date. At least until Apple officially introduces its groundbreaking iPhone.