This. It’s gimmicky indeed. A roll-up screen, perhaps. But please no foldable screens. I would constantly be checking the crease. Lmao.
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Apple Considering Foldable iPad, According to Supply Chain Sources
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Agreed - if Apple finally decide to do a foldable, they'll have worked out a. what benefit it actually brings, and b. how to do it well.
I still don't see the allure in a product that has moving parts and more points of possible failure.
This certainly would cost more than a regular iPhone Pro Max and therefore my prediction would be closer to 2k.
However, I don’t see the point of a foldable TABLET anyway, it’s the phone that needs to be compact and „foldable“ to something bigger when needed and not the other way around
However, I don’t see the point of a foldable TABLET anyway, it’s the phone that needs to be compact and „foldable“ to something bigger when needed and not the other way around
Lenovo had a foldable, all screen, Windows laptop. It didn't sell that well, but it had a really wimpy processor. I'd probably have bought one if it had a better processor. Unfolded = tablet, folded = laptop with sucky keyboard. (They actually had a real keyboard you could use with it if you wanted.)
Oh, DigiTimes! You’re so cute!
Keep trying, little buddy!
btw, my Mac already folds perfectly as is.
Keep trying, little buddy!
btw, my Mac already folds perfectly as is.
I could see this making sense if it had an outer display that was between 8-10 inches and it unfolded into a 15+ inch Pro.
I could see that totally being something appealing for people who love traveling with just an iPad.
Outer display for doing basic one or two app at a time things like reading.
Open for a huge display for video consumption and stage manager.
But I still think we're several years away from foldable screens being durable enough to last the length of time an average Apple product does.
iPads from 8+ years ago, even if they're not on the latest update, still work perfectly fine.
The selection of current foldables clearly proved that, even though they're more durable than their first generations, they’re still not built to last 5+ years of average usage.
I could see that totally being something appealing for people who love traveling with just an iPad.
Outer display for doing basic one or two app at a time things like reading.
Open for a huge display for video consumption and stage manager.
But I still think we're several years away from foldable screens being durable enough to last the length of time an average Apple product does.
iPads from 8+ years ago, even if they're not on the latest update, still work perfectly fine.
The selection of current foldables clearly proved that, even though they're more durable than their first generations, they’re still not built to last 5+ years of average usage.
A folding phone makes sense. Either a phone that is smaller in the pocket or one that opens up to give a larger screen when desired, those make sense. But a folding iPad? I don’t believe this rumor. Sure, maybe Apple is experimenting with them, but they experiment with everything. This will never see the light of day.
I saw someone with one of those Sammy foldable phones that had a screen protector on it...one of the worst things I've ever seen.
Never understood why some aren't excited by a foldable screen. If it is pulled off to Apple standards, an iPhone that can become an iPad is extremely appealing to me. Yeah, the current iterations on the market are janky, but I only care about what Apple comes up with, and I doubt they'd release unless it was relatively usable and reliable.
Macrumors always quotes from Ming Chi Kuo but never shows his face
So the objective of a foldable screen device should be to make the device more portable in a way that the non-foldable equivalent is not.
The problem that I have with current foldable implementations is that while it may make a device smaller to take up less space, it isn't making the device more portable. So while a foldable smartphone does provide more screen space, it doesn't provide me more utility like a tablet does. And even if I could fold a tablet in half, I still can fit it into my pants pocket.
Will Apple find a way to solve this problem? Who know. Maybe they will.
The problem that I have with current foldable implementations is that while it may make a device smaller to take up less space, it isn't making the device more portable. So while a foldable smartphone does provide more screen space, it doesn't provide me more utility like a tablet does. And even if I could fold a tablet in half, I still can fit it into my pants pocket.
Will Apple find a way to solve this problem? Who know. Maybe they will.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
In threads about a foldable iPhone, "we" freak out. We just can't imagine anything supplanting iPhone. It is required in all imagined new possibilities. The brick is the tech holy of holies to most of us.
So perhaps it's more imaginable for a tablet to fold smaller than a phone to fold larger. End result could be up to exactly the same but our ability to "think different" seems to be slightly improved for one of those.
The point in foldable tablets or phones is to deliver both pocketablilty/portability AND "bigger" screen. Generally, all apps are better on bigger screens but tablets won't fit in pockets. Fold or roll is a tech way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
In a way, I already have an iPhone Fold, permanently unfolded in the form of a cellular iPad Mini which doubles as my phone (VOIP app + buds). Been doing this since iPad Mini 2. It is an ideal "phone" for me. But the ONE thing iPhone has that it doesn't that matters to me is pocket-ability when not in use.
Personally, I think Vpro is a whole other crack at this portability + bigger screens concept. Vpro fits in a laptop-like bag but can summon anything from an original iPhone-sized screen to a gigantic movie screen... all within a fixed physical device-sized package. Many of us are "what's the point"-ing that product too, but it certainly aims to answer the same question: how can we deliver much bigger screens in a smallish, portable, take anywhere package?
If Apple was willing, they could virtualize the iPhone, iPad and Mac in that view: one "smallish" product for all 3 major product offerings from Apple. I doubt they WILL do that but it appears they could. If so, that could deliver a 3.5" iPhone VR that could be stretched into an iPad VR, a MB VR, an iMac VR or a TV-sized VR screen when one wants the extra screen RE. No supply chain players to pay to build aluminum rectangles and modestly reconfigured silicon boards & batteries over and over: ALL of the profit could go to Apple for new VR phones, tablets and Macs instead of cutting in supply chain partners that build the physical parts (and much less e-waste than upgrading physical boxes every couple of years- just buy a new phone/tablet/mac like it is an app)...
"Designed and virtually manufactured entirely in Cupertino"
Again, I don't expect them to do that- modern Apple would probably prefer to sell us each type of product individually and many customers will likely take years before they can ever imagine themselves embracing a Vpro-type device over a brick in their pocket or a laptop on their lap. But the point in bringing Vpro into the conversation is that it is a tangible Apple cut at the same concept: bigger screens in a mobile & small physical package. Its screens just happen to be able to crush all unfolded foldable sizes with no creases... and all physical screen sizes too. A user could conceptually use their 100" iPhone if Apple was willing... without the weight of an actual 100" iPhone's physical parts.
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I, and legions like me (judging by Apple sales figures) don't need our iPads to be "Mac-like". That's why I have a Mac. When I'm done with the heavy cognitive load imposed by my job, it's a joy to use the lighter, less complex iPadOS.
And yes, I DO do creative work on it in Luma Fusion (now Final Cut), Garageband, Logic Pro, Dark Room and Photomator, among others.
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Not really news.
No doubt Apple has at least a dozen foldable iPhone and iPad engineering prototypes in their R&D labs for a at least a dozen years.
Personally, I don't see it happening.
No doubt Apple has at least a dozen foldable iPhone and iPad engineering prototypes in their R&D labs for a at least a dozen years.
Personally, I don't see it happening.
IF Ross Young maintains his great record, OLED is on the docket for Spring 2024
Some of you guys are very stultified. You can be sure Apple is investigation all possible configurations of phones, tablets and anything else they think might work. We’ll just have to see if they come up with something. The one thing we can be sure of is that they won’t have something unless they’ve solved the problems. If they do, then it will be a viable product.
I’m typing this in my iPad Pro 12.9” m2. I love the larger screen, but for some work I do with it, I’d like an even bigger screen. But anything above 14” would be too clumsy to carry around. But if it folded, I can see a 16”, which would be perfect. So if Apple fixed the fold problem and had a tough screen surface, which folding screens now don’t have, then I would be happy to spend the extra. My 16” M1 Macbook Pro cost several thousand, and that would be worth it to me for a large folding screen iPad. I know of others who feel the same. It wouldn’t be for everyone, but really, what it?
as for the rolling screen, iPhone or iPad, I just don’t see how Apple would work that out. The roll would be thick and clumsy. Then what would it be backed by when rolled out? Would there be some sort of back that would slide out behind it? Would dirt in the screen get in the rolls, scratching it? What sort of protective layer would cover it and be flexible enough to roll up in a tight roll? All of these questions need to be answered, and so far, following Apple patents in this, I haven’t seen any of them answered. So maybe it’s something Apple will never come out with. A folding screen is a much simpler solution.
I’m typing this in my iPad Pro 12.9” m2. I love the larger screen, but for some work I do with it, I’d like an even bigger screen. But anything above 14” would be too clumsy to carry around. But if it folded, I can see a 16”, which would be perfect. So if Apple fixed the fold problem and had a tough screen surface, which folding screens now don’t have, then I would be happy to spend the extra. My 16” M1 Macbook Pro cost several thousand, and that would be worth it to me for a large folding screen iPad. I know of others who feel the same. It wouldn’t be for everyone, but really, what it?
as for the rolling screen, iPhone or iPad, I just don’t see how Apple would work that out. The roll would be thick and clumsy. Then what would it be backed by when rolled out? Would there be some sort of back that would slide out behind it? Would dirt in the screen get in the rolls, scratching it? What sort of protective layer would cover it and be flexible enough to roll up in a tight roll? All of these questions need to be answered, and so far, following Apple patents in this, I haven’t seen any of them answered. So maybe it’s something Apple will never come out with. A folding screen is a much simpler solution.
It's going to be two seperate bezelless displays, the iPad DS (dual screen). Current folding screen technology still has issues, but a seamless dual screen solves the crease problem and durabilty problem.
Please, no. Just release a larger screen! LIKE A TV MAYBE? Quit ****ing around with gimmicks like VR scuba goggles and folding displays.
I don’t think this would be a good idea. What’s the point of that ? Making the screen bigger ? Well I’d rather just buy a normal device with a bigger screen rather than an overpriced one that can fold into a bigger screen.
Never really saw the point of foldables. Too overpriced for what they can do and the technology itself is still not perfect for it yet. There are still problems with the hinge in the current foldables as it tends to form an obvious crease in the middle when looked at from certain angles. It doesn’t look good at all. And the price alone doesn’t encourage anyone to buy them especially with their current problems.
Who knows, maybe Apple will actually do pretty well with a foldable device if they ever tried to make one. But I’m definitely not the target there.
Never really saw the point of foldables. Too overpriced for what they can do and the technology itself is still not perfect for it yet. There are still problems with the hinge in the current foldables as it tends to form an obvious crease in the middle when looked at from certain angles. It doesn’t look good at all. And the price alone doesn’t encourage anyone to buy them especially with their current problems.
Who knows, maybe Apple will actually do pretty well with a foldable device if they ever tried to make one. But I’m definitely not the target there.
Also…. A foldable Mac ? What would that look like ? We already have a MacBook that can obviously fold. Unless they’re talking about a MacBook that can apparently fold backwards to look like a tablet like the current touchscreen Windows laptops.. 🤔