The last time when we heard about the folding iPhone, it was under prototyping and was scheduled to debut in 2022. This might not be the case as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some of his insights on the folding iPhone, which doesn’t corroborate any of the earlier reports or rumors we have gotten so far.
According to Macrumors report, Kuo suggests a 2023 launch for the folding iPhone, but there’s a catch. As Kuo says, ‘the project hasn’t yet officially kicked off,’ which doesn’t uphold earlier reports where it was being said that Apple has started testing out the prototypes for the folding iPhone. Instead, according to Kuo, the development is in the early stages, as early as the product being in the research stage.
Will it be a folding iPhone or a folding iPad?
On another note, the folding iPhone might not be what Jon Prosser has explained; according to Prosser, the folding iPhone was supposed to be something like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip or the Moto Razr. But, according to Kuo, who has a better track rapport than Prosser, claims that the folding iPhone will be more of an iPad mini when folded out with a 7.5-8-inch display, suggesting that Apple might be moving forward with a Galaxy Z Fold sort of approach, where it’s a regular-sized phone when folded in and when unfolded it’s a tablet.
Last month, Digitimes reported that Apple has been working with Samsung and LG for the in-folding displays. A report from a Chinese analyst firm named EqualOcean claims that the folding iPhone might support the Apple Pencil.
Now it’s time for some bummer, as this iPhone might never make it to the shelves if Apple fails to figure out the “key technology and mass production issues.” Since we know how tough it is to get a folding phone right, there are chances that Apple might end up killing this one just like some of its previous highly ambitious projects, and we know how good of a track record Apple has of abandoning projects that are not perfect. So don’t get your hopes high, and RIP AirPower.
We have heard about the foldable iPhone since 2016, and since then, the Cupertino giant has filed several patents. Now we are finally getting a timeframe for the launch, increasing our hopes of getting a folding iPhone, but it will take some time, maybe a couple of more rumors and reports coming in our way before Apple announces something that folds.