While foldable smartphones haven’t really usurped the standard model quite yet, the expectation is that it will happen eventually. Especially as the technology and features improve. And while many smartphone manufacturers have already jumped on that particular bandwagon, Apple is not one of them. But that doesn’t mean efforts to create a foldable iPhone are dead in the water.
Quite the contrary, actually, depending on how you look at the tea leaves (or patent applications and rumors). The safe bet is that considering just how much attention foldable phones from Samsung and other companies have received, it’s likely that Apple is at least testing some ideas out. Does that mean the company has any definitive plans to launch a foldable iPhone in the near future? Not necessarily.
However, according to serial leaker Dylan (@dylandkt), Apple is indeed testing out various prototypes for a foldable iPhone right now. The leaker, who has a pretty solid track record up to this point, said in a series of tweets that Apple is “testing multiple prototypes” when it comes to foldable phones, but that “too many compromises” still exist with the form factor.
The leaker also notes that foldable phones might just be a fad, and the clamor for that style may die away in time. As such, Apple is still playing it pretty close to the vest, and taking its time with development.
From the thread:
3/3 While other manufactures are iterating on products that are seemingly in beta, Apple is keen on making sure that the design is not a regression from the current form factor of the iPhone. They are interested in playing the long game to see how the technology progresses.
— Dylan (@dylandkt) January 6, 2022
So, Apple’s at least toying with the idea for now. Which lines up with some previous rumors. But, as it stands right now, there’s no clear indication that the company is definitively planning to launch a foldable iPhone in th near future (or at all, really).
But wait, there’s more.
A new iPhone SE
Word on the street is that Apple is working on another design change for the iPhone SE lineup. And while there was some expectation that the new design would see the light of day in 2022, that has apparently turned out to be not the case. Dylan took to Twitter to point out that Apple’s plans have changed, with the company now eyeballing a 2024 release for a new, redesigned iPhone SE.
For this year, things will stay mostly the same. The next iPhone SE iteration to see the light of day will reportedly still launch in 2022, but it will only feature some slight tweaks. Namely, the handset will reportedly add 5G connectivity, and some upgrades to the overall specifications. However, it will retain the same design that Apple introduced in 2020.
When the new model does launch, it will reportedly feature Touch ID built into the power button.
*Update to this tweet!* The iPhone SE with a similar design to the XR/11 with a slightly smaller screen size, has been pushed back to an expected release of 2024. For 2022, Apple will instead release an iPhone SE with 5G, a spec bump, and the same design as the 2020 model.
— Dylan (@dylandkt) January 6, 2022
Are you looking forward to a foldable iPhone at all?