Apple's Foldable iPhone Prototype Allegedly Features Separate Display Panels Connected by Hinge

[tyranne201]

We don't need a foldable phone, as people can only focus on 1 screen at a time. Apple surely won't follow this path, similar to the mac/tablet dilemma.

If you need a bigger screen just buy an iPad Mini.

*the only way I see something foldable happening is in a minimal and subtle way, not like those samsung in the pictures.

 

[bsamcash]

If it lowers the price for the single display/non-foldable phones then I’m all for it.

 

[tyranne201]

Curious to see how they will marge the two displays seamlessly

we already have that. its called an iPad.

 

[cmaier]

We don't need a foldable phone, as people can only focus on 1 screen at a time.

the point of a foldable phone is to allow that 1 screen to be bigger than would otherwise fit in your pocket. Very useful to people with bad eyesight or who prefer to work with a bigger canvas.
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we already have that. its called an iPad.

My ipad doesnt fit in my pants pocket

 

[tyranne201]

For people that don't understand folding phones, the idea is pretty simple.

You get a bigger screen in a smaller form factor. It's extremely inefficient to scale up the body of an iPhone just to match the display size.

inst that an iPad Mini? duh
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the point of a foldable phone is to allow that 1 screen to be bigger than would otherwise fit in your pocket. Very useful to people with bad eyesight or who prefer to work with a bigger canvas.
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My ipad doesnt fit in my pants pocket

then buy an iphone 11 pro max or a smaller tablet.

 

[unchecked]

Maybe that's the reason in making the iPad Mini bigger. Then this bigger double screen iPhone becomes an iPad Mini that can be folded into two halves.

 

[hidekigomi]

Is this a phone?

 

[aapl owner]

Foldable phones, no way too many problems with the fold. Think outside the box and do an extensible phone screen.

 

[Osamede]

Wow, Tim is really stepping up the monetization.....sorry, I mean innovation:

Microsoft Courier - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet

Microsoft's decision to cancel its innovative Courier tablet computer a year and a half ago reverberates today, as the software giant plots strategy to catch the market-leading iPad.

www.cnet.com

 

[topdrawer]

i dont want this

 

[cmaier]

inst that an iPad Mini? duh
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then buy an iphone 11 pro max or a smaller tablet.

I own an iphone 11 pro max. I also own an iPad mini. There’s room for a device that has the size of the former but can be unfolded to something like the size of the latter.
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Wow, Tim is really stepping up the monetization.....sorry, I mean innovation:

Microsoft Courier - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet

Microsoft's decision to cancel its innovative Courier tablet computer a year and a half ago reverberates today, as the software giant plots strategy to catch the market-leading iPad.

www.cnet.com

Very insightful critique of a non-product that you’ve never seen

 

[rp2011]

Highly doubt this will ever see the light of day. Apple prototypes lots of things, but i highly doubt they go for these silly useless gimmicks. Consumers have already passed on the abominations released so far by Samsung and others.

 

[DeepIn2U]

IMHO ... waist ... of ... time & resources.

Either you go the traditional route, similar to this recent rumour from Jon Posser with 2 separate panels that seem to merge (a more modern take on what Nokia done with ALL their communicator lineups from the 9500 to the E90) or you get some Frankenstein of bending plastic or (Samsung's liquid glass duh scientifically glass is a very slow liquid state).

I'd personally rather AR Glasses + Watch / iPhone. Much wider and more immersive field of visual display, acquitity and relevance. Give me the fridges and glass displays shown in The 6TH Day movie not some ridiculous folio concept of a smartphone that dates back to 1992! Been there sorry.

 

[Rafterman]

Apple produces a lot of prototype, most that never see the light of day. If/when they do foldable, I would be surprised if it would be this design.

 

[rp2011]

Well, i predict the casual glasses that have been rumored lately will be mega flops, and the same fate would meet foldable phones. Both are gimmicks seeking a product that no wants or sees a need for.

 

[unchecked]

Well, i predict the casual glasses thatt have been rumored lately will be mega flops, and the same fate would meet foldable phones. Both are gimmicks seeking a product that no wants or sees a need for.

It's just me but a tablet that folds is a better sell than a phone that folds. The phone itself is already pretty small, we gain nothing by making it fold. The tablet is big, and it gains something by being able to half it's carrying size.

I won't be surprised if this thing ends up running iPadOS rather than iOS.

 

[UltimaKilo]

This is so fake. Whomever had this fake info given to them just got caught as the leaker. Ouch.

 

[millydog]

I’m curious about what Apple can come up with in the foldable space. The picture in the article is a mock-up based on someones interpretation, it is not Apple’s design. I’m sure that Apple have been playing with this idea, but they won’t release something unless they can get it right and make it better than other foldable products.
I think that a device that is both an iPhone and an iPad mini could be good. Maybe it can be used as an iPhone still when it is closed and an iPad mini when it’s open. We don’t know that it can only be used when opened.
I also think that an iPad that opens up into a larger iPad could be good. While closed, it could be portable and a great device for one handed use and reading, but when opened, it could become your laptop replacement.
I think that a lot of people are sceptical right now because no one has done it right yet, but I think that Apple will be ones to do it right. If their experiments with prototypes result in devices that they are not yet happy with then they won’t release it until the technology is there to make the device that they are proud of.

 

[Cosmosent]

That's a Good Design !

If the hinge is SUPER ROBUST, it (the iPhone) could last many years !

 

[rp2011]

It's just me but a tablet that folds is a better sell than a phone that folds. The phone itself is already pretty small, we gain nothing by making it fold. The tablet is big, and it gains something by being able to half it's carrying size.

I won't be surprised if this thing ends up running iPadOS rather than iOS.

I once got a phone case with a flap that protected the face. That case lasted a total of half a day before i threw it away. Every time i picked it up to make a call or something that stupid flap had to be folded back before i could use it.
A foldable would require use two hands. Who wants to do that?
Flaps and folds are a pain in the ass,

 

[44267547]

Foldable phones, no way too many problems with the fold. Think outside the box and do an extensible phone screen.

Apple isn’t Samsung, it’s not appropriate to compare them, because we don’t know what alterations Apple could possibly make to a foldable display to make the experience ‘better‘ (Subjective word) for the user. We’ve seen this dozens of times with products over the years that Apple has developed and released with unique elements to their product line. Apple is never the first to release something as we all know, but they could possibly make the experience more solidified long-term where it changes the perspective for the user experience.

 

[yurc]

More like MacBook Mini then.

 

[progx]

For people that don't understand folding phones, the idea is pretty simple.

No, we get the idea. It's cool and all, but I'm in the camp where I don't need it. Plus, with the cost of these devices, if you buy one of these... you really don't need anything else.

You get a bigger screen in a smaller form factor. It's extremely inefficient to scale up the body of an iPhone just to match the display size.

I have three Macs and an iPad, I don't need my iPhone 8 Plus to move beyond the size of my hand. My iPhone is my pocket computer, MP3 player, phone and portable unit on the go. For anything that needs power, my Mac mini i7 and Ryzen 5 build are there for it. For a bigger screen on the go, my iPad and MacBook Pro fit that need.

 

[akbarali.ch]

What would even be the point of this? I have thought long and hard about these foldable phones/tablets and I do not see how it helps anyone other than a niche group of people.

No, it is important, actually very important. If you use your smartphone for only calls then you don't need a smartphone in the first place, but if you doing anything more than that, then there are a lot of instances throughout the day where you would prefer a huge screen....for that moment. e.g.

Viewing docs, pdf, images through the email you need to scroll up down sideways many times, zoom in-out, etc.

Checking out videos on youtube that have small fonts and statistics, charts often are not well readable on smaller screens.

You don't need a huge screen all the time, if you do, then you should carry a laptop along, but there are instances, small instances throughout the day, that doesn't warrant to carry in a laptop but you want your smartphone to deliver like a laptop.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Ah foldable phones. I find the folding screen amazing and cool, and folding screen devices could be fun if done correctly.

The thing is, we don't know what "done correctly" is. We certainly haven't seen it yet.

Will Apple come up with a killer use-case for this? Is it a trick to catch a leaker? Only time will tell.

Personally, I think that while folding tech is cool, I think that AR will make it moot eventually, if the implementation ends up matching our imagination. Like a holographic 50" screen, holographic controls and data, signage, alerts, etc.

THAT is what I believe to be the future. And they'll come in silver and space grey.