Apple Is Working On A Foldable Device

Apple might be working on a foldable device similar to what the Samsung Galaxy X would be. After a report claimed that Apple has been working on this new foldable iPhone, a patent application has revealed what Apple might have in store for its foldable iPhone.

Apple has been known to perfect a technology and implement it in their iPhones rather than being the first to implement and under tested technology. Screen embedded fingerprint sensor, which was expected to feature in the iPhone X now seems like a 2018 iPhone feature as Apple will have ample time to test it out first.

The iPhone X has a foldable display as well, which folds at the bottom and can’t be seen while using the phone. This is the trick that makes the edge-to-edge screen design possible, since Apple is able to hide the display controller at the bottom of the panel.

The new patent application describes “Electronic Devices With Flexible Displays.” Apple filed the patent on the 22nd of September, 2016 which means it’s a relatively new invention.

The image reveals that a foldable iPhone would have an all screen design (14, 14E, 14M) that would bend around an axis (16), with a central flexible display area (14M) separating two screen halves that may be flat (14E).

Such a device could bend so that the 14E screen areas would face each other, or away from each other. Should both modes be available to users, then a foldable iPhone may be used as a regular iPhone with displays on both sides, or like a smaller iPad.

The patent application also mentions that micro-LEDs might be used as the potential display technology for this device. This is an interesting piece of information considering that reports already say that Apple is exploring micro-LED display technology as a replacement for LCD and/or OLED display panels.

It will be interesting to see how the first generation foldable iPhone will fare against the Samsung Galaxy X when it does launch in the market for average consumers.