Samsung Electronics Co. smartphones. Galaxy Z Flip on display during the Samsung Unpacked product launch event in San Francisco, California, USA on Tuesday, February 11, 2020.
Photographer: Michael Short / Bloomberg
Photographer: Michael Short / Bloomberg
Apple Inc. has started early work on an iPhone with a folding screen, a potential competitor in devices like Samsung Electronics Co. and others, though it only plans minor changes for this year’s iPhone line.
The California-based company Cupertino has developed prototype folding screens for internal testing, but they have not confirmed plans to launch a foldable iPhone. The development work has not expanded beyond display, meaning Apple does not yet have full-fledged prototypes in its labs, according to someone familiar with the work, who asked not to identified discussing private issues.
Like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, the The reboot of Motorola Razr and other offerings from Chinese companies including Huawei Technologies Co., would allow a flexible iPhone to allow Apple to make a device with a larger screen in a larger pocket. Apple has considered a number of foldable screen sizes, including one that expands to a size similar to the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Standard folding phones have screens that are from 6 and 8 inches unopened.
The Apple folded screens in test, like the ones from Samsung, are on a column that is virtually invisible with the electronics located behind the display, the person said. Other companies, Microsoft Corp. among them, have recently launched devices with visible hinges separating two distinct panels. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
This would be a radical move for Apple. Its advanced, full-screen smartphone appears to be the most successful consumer technology product in history, helping to make Apple the most valuable company in the world. However, it seems that a foldable iPhone is years away or eventually may not be introduced. The company is currently aiming to launch their next-generation iPhones and iPads later this year.
Apple is not planning major changes for this year’s iPhone line with the improvements made to the smartphone in 2020, including 5G and new designs, according to people familiar with the iPhone. -location. Inside Apple, engineers are considering the next iPhones another “S” version of the device, the name that will usually be given to new iPhones with a minor update.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also developed a complex product, with Apple’s hardware engineers working only in the Silicon Valley company’s offices a few days a week and in limited numbers. That has meant downloading work to Apple engineers in China.
Last year, the pandemic delayed the release of the iPhone 12 by several weeks, but Apple was able to include almost all of its planned features except an accessory called “ AirTags ”for locating physical items such as backpacks and keys. The company now plans to launch that accessory this year, and they plan to design a number of accessories for it including a leather keychain. Samsung announced a similar gizmo earlier this month.
While the overall changes will be small, Apple is still testing a major update for 2021: an in-screen fingerprint reader. This would provide a new way for users to unlock their iPhone, going beyond the passcode and Face ID of Face ID. Apple began moving away from fingerprint sensors in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X, but Touch ID has remained a feature on cheaper Mac laptops and iPhones ever since. Qualcomm Inc., which supplies 5G modems to Apple, earlier this month announced faster in-screen fingerprint sensing.
Read more: Apple Plans Return of Touch ID and New Cheap iPhone
This feature would be handy in an environment where consumers are wearing masks, which are often inappropriate for face recognition. An in-screen fingerprint reader, which has also been featured on Android phones for several years, could be faster than Face ID for some users. Apple will not remove its face recognition scanner though as it is still useful for augmented reality and camera features.
Apple has also talked about removing the charging port for some iPhone models in favor of wireless charging. The company moved to a magnetic MagSafe charging system with the iPhone 12, as well as removing the charging brake from the iPhone’s box last year. It also brings this cost technology back to the MacBook Pro.
For its tablet line, Apple is designing a new iPad Pro that looks similar to the current model but adds a MiniLED display and a much faster processor. A thinner and lighter entry level iPad that uses the same design as the 2019 iPad Air is also in the works.