Apple is reportedly developing a foldable iPhone model that could be released as early as 2026.
The California-based technology company, valued at $3.46 trillion, has reached out to Asian suppliers to manufacture parts for the new phone, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. He told the Information.
Sources say the phone will be able to fold horizontally and the design will be very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip that was launched in 2020. Galaxy Z Smartphone On Samsung’s website, prices range from $850 to $1,900.
The launch of a foldable iPhone is not yet guaranteed, as tech giant Apple frequently cancels projects.
If the rumored model hits stores, it would mark the most dramatic change to the iPhone’s design since its introduction in 2007.
Apple has reportedly given its foldable phone project an internal codename of “V68,” indicating that the manufacturing process is well underway. According to The Information, Apple plans to produce two different sizes of foldable phones.
Production of a typical iPhone model usually takes about 24 months from start to finish, but a foldable iPhone could take even longer to complete, sources told The Information.
Apple designers face several potential challenges with a foldable phone, such as preventing a crease from forming in the middle of the screen from repeated folding.
Because the phone doubles in thickness when folded, designers also need to create ultra-thin models — thin enough to fit in a pocket.
However, this issue appears to be on the way to being resolved, as Apple plans to release a much thinner iPhone model next year, The Information previously reported.
Apple also faces the challenge of creating compelling new features to entice customers to buy a foldable phone, which will sell for a higher price.
The tech giant is not without competition: Samsung currently dominates the foldable smartphone market, but its market share is set to decline from 80% in 2022 to just under 70% in 2023. According to market research firm TrendForce:.
According to TrendForce, sales of foldable phones are on the rise, with 15.9 million units expected to be shipped globally in 2023, up 25% from the previous year.
However, foldable phone sales still account for just 1.4% of the total smartphone market, according to TrendForce.
Consumers have been slow to jump on the foldable phone trend, likely due to the high price tag and maintenance issues caused by the crease in the screen.
However, shipments are expected to continue to grow, reaching 11% to 17.7 million units in 2024, according to TrendForce.
In addition to the rumored foldable phone, Apple is expected to release updates to other products over the next few years.
According to The Information, Apple plans to add a new button for taking photos and videos to the bottom right corner of the next iPhone 16.
The iPhone 16, scheduled for release in September 2024, will have an easier-to-replace battery to comply with European regulations and will also have a larger graphite sheet to address overheating issues, The Information reports.
Some of the cheaper iPhones will also have optical zoom, a feature previously only found on premium phones.
Apple is reportedly planning a fourth-generation version of the iPhone SE along with a notable camera upgrade that will give users control over the lens aperture rather than relying on Portrait Mode.
While the iPhone has evolved over time with new facial recognition technology, evolution of the virtual voice assistant Siri, and updates to the iOS operating system, its physical design has endured significant refinements.
The volume buttons are smaller and relocated, and the new iPhone models have sharper edges than the older models, which were rounded.
Perhaps the most significant change came when Apple did away with its trademark home button.
In 2016, Apple released the iPhone 7, which replaced the home button with a stationary circle at the bottom of the screen.
Then in 2017, Apple released the iPhone X, which had a front-facing, full-screen design with no buttons.
The foldable phone would mark a big change for the tech brand’s pattern of releasing a new iPhone every year with little to no major changes to the design.
