Apple Working With LG Display on Future Foldable iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple is developing an iPhone with a foldable display alongside LG Display, reports Korean site The Investor. Apple is said to have chosen to work with LG and not Samsung out of fears that Samsung could get ahold of sensitive tech.

This is not the first time we've heard rumors of a future iPhone with a foldable display. Back in December of 2016, rumors suggested LG's display division would begin mass-producing foldable displays for smartphones as early as 2018, with Apple said to be one possible partner.

LG has shown off several foldable display prototypes over the last two years, including one that folds over like a book and a second that rolls up much like a newspaper. LG's foldable displays use flexible OLED panels and LG has been working to increase durability and yield rate.

LG is said to have recently created a dedicated task force to start developing a foldable OLED display for a future iPhone, while its siser company LG Innotek has a team developing a rigid flexible printed circuit board or (RFPCB) to go along with it.

Folding display technology is a ways off from launch, and unnamed industry sources believe panel production for an iPhone with a folding display won't kick off until 2020, which is more than two years from now.

Samsung supplies the OLED displays for the iPhone X and is also expected to supply OLED panels for Apple's 2018 iPhones, but LG recently started OLED production for phones at a factory in China and has plans to begin supplying Apple with panels as early as 2019.

Next year's devices will not include foldable display tech, but we have heard rumors suggesting an all-OLED lineup with two OLED devices in 5.85 and 6.46-inch sizes.

Article Link: Apple Working With LG Display on Future Foldable iPhone

 

[Rettun1]

No longer a gimmick.

 

[Appleaker]

It’s very hard to get foldable devices right, but if the whole device is foldable then it can be done. The problem is when you have folding screens but the components are not foldable and in a separate hard casing, which removes a lot of the elegance of devices like smartphones.

 

[otternonsense]

If experience has taught me anything, is to not conflate exciting patent applications, tech prototypes and Apple in the same sentence.

Maybe after the iPhone XSSS has been released, Apple's design team will consider testing new materials and form factors.

 

[man3ster]

yeah because that is what I need my display to do. how many scenarios can you see this useful?

 

[RtWrecklezX]

Are we FINALLY getting back to flip phones?

 

[Radon87000]

Samsung is already releasing one next year

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/sams...martphone-to-launch-in-2018-will-be-a-limited

 

[Cronowerx]

Perfect! I sold my iPhone 6 to get the iPhone 8. In 3 years I'll sell the iPhone 8 and get this new gem, hopefully by then the face ID gimmick will be out of beta

 

[sza]

Hopefully people will stop complaining about the “Bendgate”.

 

[44267547]

yeah because that is what I need my display to do. how many scenarios can you see this useful?

Have you tested a foldable device to know that it's not useful?

 

[eoblaed]

While this tech is neat, and I see applications for it outside of phones, I don't see applications for it with mobile devices. I rather need my phone to be rigid, especially for one handed use (even (or maybe especially?) for one Plus sized models).

 

[newyorksole]

If experience has taught me anything, is to not conflate exciting patent applications, tech prototypes and Apple in the same sentence.

Maybe after the iPhone XSSS has been released, Apple's design team will consider testing new materials and form factors.

Yeah this is two sided.

1) We won't see this in Apple's phones for a whiiiile (if ever).
2) They are going to use it in a different way than what we can expect.

 

[chetttos]

Apple has patents related to flexible components, now they are working with LG for the display tech. This is going to the iPhone Quinceañera. Smart move they maintain Samsung far from the development, so they turn the copy machines after the device's announcement.

 

[DNichter]

I currently don't have any idea how this will be feasible / useful, but I guess I'll let the experts show me the way. Like if my 7 Plus folded in half, I am not really sure what value that brings. People are smarter than me though.

 

[deanthedev]

I highly doubt this will happen. So many issues with trying to fold a screen.

- You can’t do a sharp fold as there’s a minimum bend radius. Which means devices are going to be much thicker.
- There’s no way you can hide the crease where it gets folded. Having a noticeable “line” in your display is going to be very distracting.
- People like devices and screens that feel solid. The biggest upgrade to the iPad was when they laminated the screen which improved the feel when typing. I doubt you can make a device that folds and maintains rigidity. It’s going to feel sloppy when touching the screen.

I don’t see this going anywhere. Not with today’s technology.

 

[Nozuka]

Samsung is already releasing one next year

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/sams...martphone-to-launch-in-2018-will-be-a-limited

more like: maybe.

Koh Dong-jin, president of mobile business at Samsung Electronics, said the company is setting its eyes on 2018 to release a smartphone with a bendable display. But he said there are several hurdles it has to overcome, leaving room to push back the release if those problems are not solved.

 

[douglasf13]

yeah because that is what I need my display to do. how many scenarios can you see this useful?

Imagine a screen the size of the iPhone X that folds down to half the size in the pocket. Sounds great to me.

 

[69Mustang]

I currently don't have any idea how this will be feasible / useful, but I guess I'll let the experts show me the way. Like if my 7 Plus folded in half, I am not really sure what value that brings. People are smarter than me though.

What if your 7 Plus was the half size and it folded out to double? Wouldn't an iPad mini sized display provide a better viewing experience for content? What about the ability to double the battery size? More powerful components with better heat dissipation?

 

[PlainviewX]

20+ years away from this being viable for consumer applications.

 

[bchery21]

I'm still not in on these 'foldable' phones. Curious to see how these screens will be implemented...

 

[QuarterSwede]

yeah because that is what I need my display to do. how many scenarios can you see this useful?

If it stops my phone from wearing a line in my jeans every 6 months I’m in.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Does this mean that the screens from Westworld could become a reality? Fancy that!

I think there could a great potential for this kind of tech in tablets and let’s not forget wearable such as Apple Watch. Let’s just hope that battery tech makes a giant leap forward to power up all these things for days.

 

[HallStevenson]

Apple is developing an iPhone with a foldable display

This is sooooo great ! Go Apple !

 

[DNichter]

What if your 7 Plus was the half size and it folded out to double? Wouldn't an iPad mini sized display provide a better viewing experience for content? What about the ability to double the battery size? More powerful components with better heat dissipation?

No, I don't think I'd want a phone that large with me all the time. And would there be like a crease somewhere in the middle of the screen? Or a hinge of some sort? I am good with double the battery size, but I would like the phone to remain the same size. I am sure there are potential use cases, I just don't see it yet.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Have you tested a foldable device to know that it's not useful?

Definitely, definitely a not useful- even useless gimmick- that "99% don't want or need", etc...

...until Apple releases one and then it's "Shut up and take my money", "how did we ever get by without...", etc.

You know how things work around here.

Anything new or different that Apple doesn't have for sale yet is gimmicky, useless, etc that must be ridiculed & rejected even as a rumor-driven possibility.... magically transformed into the must-have reason to upgrade as soon as Apple adopts it. See bigger-screen phones, NFC, etc.