Foldable smartphones have been around for some time now; yet none of them wear the coveted Apple logo. While South Korea’s Samsung and a couple of Chinese brands have an interesting lineup of folding smartphones across various price segments, no hints have been dropped by Tim Cook and his team at Cupertino.
In a year when Google took pride in releasing its first foldable phone (the Pixel Fold), Apple astonished the world by introducing a groundbreaking AR headset to replace your laptop, TV and smartphone, all at once. So does that mean a foldable Apple phone isn’t happening?
Considering the latest leak from Ming-Chi Kuo, who specialises in leaking Apple’s plans for future products, the foldable iPhone isn’t on the cards. Instead, Apple is working behind closed doors to give the MacBook a folding display treatment. Laptops with folding screens aren’t new to the market but when Apple decides to pick up the trend, you can expect qualitative refinements that none of its rivals may offer.
So, with foldable Apple products being a hot topic, fans can’t wait to find out when this tech will come to iPhones and MacBooks. Join us as we explore the rumours and figure out details about this mysterious MacBook with a foldable screen.
Foldable Apple phone: What do the rumours say?
After a recent post on X from Ming-Chi Kuo, it seems that Apple isn’t pursuing the idea of a foldable iPhone at the moment. The company is dedicating its resources to a foldable MacBook project, which is expected to feature a large 20.3-inch display. While the technical details on the rumoured foldable 20-inch MacBook are sparse, Kuo says that a clear development schedule is in place to put it into mass production by 2027 and release it soon after.
最近我多次被詢問蘋果是否計劃在 2025 年或 2026 年量產可折疊 iPhone 或 iPad。我的最新調查顯示，蘋果目前唯一有明確開發時程的可折疊產品，只有配備約20.3"顯示器、並預計在2027年量產的MacBook。
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Recently, I've received many inquiries about whether Apple plans to mass-produce the…— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 7, 2024
Why a foldable MacBook and not a folding iPhone?
Foldable smartphones are certainly cool but they come with a fair share of niggles. Durability is a factor that gets compromised the most in a foldable phone and thanks to the complex hinge systems, a lot of other crucial factors like battery life and camera hardware get affected.
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Moreover, the folding phone as a concept doesn’t solve any fundamental issues present with existing smartphones. A conventional iPhone or any other Android smartphone can do almost everything that a foldable phone can. In gadgets like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 that offer a large folding screen, you can only use it to its true potential while multitasking with up to three apps simultaneously or watching a video for a more immersive experience. Most folding phone users rely on the cover display for the rest of the time.
Hence, it isn’t surprising to see that the top seven selling smartphones of 2023 across the globe belonged to Apple and the rest were entry-level Android phones. None of the folding phones made it to Counterpoint’s list.
While the foldable screen makes less sense on a phone, it provides a huge advantage in laptops where users could do more with a larger screen. Imagine having a MacBook Pro dominated by a huge folding display stretching from edge to edge, offering you an immersive workspace to keep your apps open without minimising any of them – all while on the move. When on the desk, a foldable MacBook can be put flat open to be used as a large display with an additional keyboard and mouse. The possibilities are endless for creators and businesspeople who crave more laptop screen space.
As for durability, laptops have been using hinges for decades. They don’t get exposed to the outdoors as much as your smartphone, thereby taking care of the display’s life.
Hence, Apple might be making a logical decision to go ahead with a foldable MacBook instead of a foldable phone. With the Apple Vision Pro around, the days of the iPhone, iPad, smart televisions and even laptops may be numbered. The foldable MacBook may only be a stop-gap solution for creators who crave a flexible form factor on their work machine.
Will folding smartphones die early?
Although the consumer technology industry usually has a habit of following Apple’s footsteps, we don’t think that foldable smartphones will die anytime soon. In a highly fragmented mobile ecosystem like Android, a foldable phone provides a much-needed dose of fun and versatility amidst the familiar slab phones. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Motorola Razr 40 Ultra and Oppo Find N3 Flip are presented as fashionable accessories focused towards young consumers.
Hence, while we may not see a foldable iPhone anytime soon, the Android universe may continue to push forward the category of folding smartphones.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Julien Doclot via Unsplash)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Is Apple launching a foldable screen device?
Apple is rumoured to be working on a foldable 20-inch MacBook and release it in 2027.
– What will be the screen size of a foldable MacBook?
According to a tip from reliable tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the foldable MacBook could feature a 20.3-inch display.
– When is the foldable Macbook expected to be released?
The foldable MacBook is expected to be released in 2027.
