Tim Hardwick
Apple has halted development of the foldable iPhone after suppliers' displays failed the company's stringent testing standards, claims a new rumor emanating from China.
According to Fix Focus Digital, a Guangdong-based technology vlogger based on Weibo with a huge following in China, Apple is testing competing foldable phones in its R&D process foldable devices, which is believed to have been ongoing since 2016.
At least one of the foldable devices Apple is reportedly testing uses a Samsung display. Samsung is a major supplier of display panels used in Apple devices and has been known to supply Apple with foldable display samples in the past. The recent report also claims that Samsung is trying to improve its operational efficiency in anticipation of Apple's first foldable products by integrating the expertise it has accumulated in foldable device manufacturing since 2019.
However, the source of today's rumor claims that Samsung's latest foldable panels “broke after a few days” as a result of Apple's rigorous internal testing, causing Apple to put the entire project on hold for the foreseeable future, or at least until until a display is developed that meets his high standards. .
Apple was actively prototyping at least two foldable iPhones after more than five years of research and development, according to a report by The Information earlier this month. Two iPhone prototypes are reported to fold widthwise like a flip phone, but they are not included in Apple's 2024 and 2025 product roadmap. The report notes that foldable iPhones could still be canceled if they don't meet Apple's standards.
The Weibo account that allegedly received information about the suspension of the foldable project at Apple is largely unknown, and to what extent We know he has no previous experience with Apple rumors, so skepticism about his accuracy is warranted.
It's also unclear whether this announcement will impact Apple's ongoing work on the foldable iPad. Apple is rumored to be more interested in such a device, which could be thicker than a foldable iPhone, since users won't carry it in their pocket and won't have to meet the iPhone's high durability requirements.
Earlier this month, Korean publication The Elec reported that Apple is considering releasing its first foldable device in the next few years in the form of a 7-8-inch device that could eventually replace the 8.3-inch iPad. mini.
Tags: Foldable iPhone Guide, Foldable iPad, Digital Fixed Focus[ 183 comments ]
