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UBS Predicts Foldable iPhone or iPad by 2021, But Skepticism Abounds
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People have been saying that for years. If there were something that were going to be at the consumer level in 5 years, it would be available now. There is nothing.
If you want to prove me wrong, please do. I'll move 50% of my capital into the leader. The problem is there is nothing on the horizon to unseat LI. People have been searching for a stuff for a long time and come up empty. Part of the life.
Yes, but saying 'everyone' when speaking for himself is just dumb.
I think it would be hip if Apple took a half-step in that direction (but in a USEFUL way) & innovated a screen that is just highly bendable, not foldable; making it more durable and less likely to crack from the “back pocket” folks & whatnot...
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
My biggest concern with such a device would be reliability.
The use cases are obvious: transporting the device is easier when folded, and using an adaptable device (phone to tablet and back) is a cool idea.
I don't think anyone is asking for ALL phones to become this, it'd just be a new category of in-between device like the iPad and iPad mini are. I recall when people dismissed them as pointless too because they just could not imagine the possibilities.
But 2021 seems EARLY. The screen material, battery tech, thinness, all have to make quantum leaps forward for such a device to be as compelling as we'd like it to be.
The use cases are obvious: transporting the device is easier when folded, and using an adaptable device (phone to tablet and back) is a cool idea.
I don't think anyone is asking for ALL phones to become this, it'd just be a new category of in-between device like the iPad and iPad mini are. I recall when people dismissed them as pointless too because they just could not imagine the possibilities.
But 2021 seems EARLY. The screen material, battery tech, thinness, all have to make quantum leaps forward for such a device to be as compelling as we'd like it to be.
UBS has done exactly what it set out to do. They got people to talk. They saw the rumors from earlier this week and needed to get on the bandwagon.
Apple probably hasn't even looked at the possibility of a foldable phone even though they secured patents. This is all a shot in the dark prediction.
Apple probably hasn't even looked at the possibility of a foldable phone even though they secured patents. This is all a shot in the dark prediction.
I'd love to have a phone the size of an SE, that "fans out" to something more the size of an iPad mini, like one sees in sci fi. But I don't expect tech to make that possible for at least a decade or two. In the meantime, folding a phone in half (with a substantial chance of breaking it every. single. time) is not at all appealing.
Yeah, I doubt it will end up being a thing, but that said, if they ever figure out the tech properly, it could be a nice feature. Problem is that the benefit vs reliability issue isn't really there today. A foldable phone adds a lot of points of failure, just some small nice features. The iPod wasn't adding a lot of points of failure, but just improving the experience of consuming music. This case really isn't there for foldable devices.
Bookmark this thread so you can come back in 10 years and see how wrong everyone is about foldable displays.
I really don't see why doubling the thickness of the device for the sake of folding it in half is so appealing.
To be honest, I see more practicality out of the Touchbar, on a laptop form, than a folding screen. The concept may mean losing physical Func keys, but it also means the screen doesn't wear out from folds, and it still adds space above it for an out ventilation (which may not be important on tablets, but I digress)
To be honest, I see more practicality out of the Touchbar, on a laptop form, than a folding screen. The concept may mean losing physical Func keys, but it also means the screen doesn't wear out from folds, and it still adds space above it for an out ventilation (which may not be important on tablets, but I digress)
When they came out with the process for flexible screens a few years ago, they had no idea how to sell them and they’ve been looking for a use case. A company recently released women’s handbags with a flexible screen displaying images on the side of the bag.
I mean it’s nifty. The technology is there. But it just has to be the right product. I don’t think handbags or phones are the right application for it.
I mean it’s nifty. The technology is there. But it just has to be the right product. I don’t think handbags or phones are the right application for it.
I can't see the use for it, but that visualisation is pretty neat. That's a nice looking device with a decent sized screen and pocketable.
It’s just gonna be a bezzeless foldable iPad mini. Which I would gladly give my money to apple for.
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Sounds like when blackberry said virtual keyboard are dumb. Look how that turned out.
I am totally ready for this foldable phone, but In 5 years when the tech advancements have come.
I admired Samsung for pushing boundaries with their folding phone. Bad idea Apple, how bout you focus on the notch?
Correct, this is a waste of time and will not advance Apple's technology in any way! Lets get back to focusing on more stable firmware/software.
