Apple Foldable Rumors Are Back, But Is It An iPhone Or iPad?
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing the company's newly released Vision Pro headset. In the article, its writer Nick Bilton casually mentions secret rooms in Apple's older Infine Loop park where "foldable iPhones" were dreamed of. Over five years after Samsung's first functional foldable smartphone, a foldable iPhone still seems to be a dream. But a recent report hints it might soon become a reality — though with a vague timeline.
New developments hint at a foldable Apple device that might launch in 2026 or 2027. According to the Korean news outlet The Elec, Apple is in the early stages of working on a foldable device with a display that measures roughly 8 inches. However, it remains unclear if the device will be a foldable iPhone or a replacement for the iPad Mini, which currently has an 8.3-inch display.
Understandably, this does not confirm the presence of a foldable from Apple. Although with more smartphone and even laptop brands hopping on the flexible display trends, the move may be inevitable — unless newer display-less interaction media, such as the Apple Vision Pro, completely replace smartphones.
It maybe in early stages of prototyping
According to the outlet, Samsung and LG, two leading makers of flexible display panels, sent their samples to Apple in late 2023. These, however, were smaller and measured between 6 and 8 inches, leading to speculation that Apple could even be evaluating two different form factors or devices with foldable displays.
The report cites industry sources that believe Samsung is already in the advanced stages of nabbing the deal to make foldable displays for Apple. Samsung, notably, is the leading supplier of the iPhone 15 series displays.
The report also speculates that a much larger iPad Pro with a 20-inch foldable display will launch after the smaller device. It is also expected that Apple's first foldable may coincide with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone in 2027. Despite these speculations, it is essential to reiterate that there is no evidence to prove the existence of any working prototypes.
Fact or fable? Only Apple can tell
Unsurprisingly, this isn't the first mention of a foldable iPhone. Besides speculations from fans, several dependable sources have mentioned the mythical foldable iPhone. Over three years ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Apple had already begun working on a foldable iPhone but said it would be "years away." Later that year, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a foldable iPhone might arrive in 2023 — if it manages to solve challenges with the technology and its mass production. In 2024, we know how well that aged.
A year later, Kuo adjusted the timeline to reflect the launch would happen in 2024. Another noted display analyst, Ross Young, made similar claims. But with the utter lack of concrete leaks or rumors, we also feel skeptical of this claim.
In March 2023, Apple further fueled speculations when it received patent approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a foldable device. Interestingly, the patent application also includes details of a self-retracting mechanism that would prevent the delicate parts of the foldable device from breaking in the event of a fall. For all we know, this could be another attempt to grab a patent to prevent other companies from doing so.
For now, the truth about Apple's foldable device(s) is safe with Tim Cook and may not leave those secret rooms for the next few years. So for now you're safe to buy the regular iPhone.