Image: YouTube reproduction
There are at least two models, which could only be launched from 2026. The company will also be working on a foldable iPad
Apple will develop at least two iPhone prototypes that fold horizontally like a case, as in the classic flip design, according to The Information, which cites a source with direct access to the company's plans.
According to the website specialized in technology, the project is in the research and development stage, and the new models are not expected to be ready before at least 2026.
Apple has already talked to at least one manufacturer in Asia to produce foldable iPhones in two different sizes. Meanwhile, the company is working on a foldable iPad.
The challenge of reducing thickness
The engineers seek to reduce the thickness of the final device as much as possible, so that it is “as thin as current iPhone models,” and thus does not take up much space in your pocket when folded. It also offers an external screen, similar to the Galaxy Z Flip or Motorola Razr+.
Apple CEO Tim Cook had approached the company's engineers about the possibility of creating foldable iPhones in 2018, which is when prototypes became popular. FacesThey only appeared as prototypes or in expensive concept devices, and two years before Samsung unveiled the first Galaxy Z Flip phone.
The popularity of foldable smartphones has been growing since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019. Since then, Motorola, Google, and many Chinese brands have followed the trend and launched their own foldable devices, although they are still not very popular due to their novelty. High cost of sales and fragility of equipment compared to traditional smartphones.
If Apple does end up releasing a foldable iPhone, it will be one of the biggest hardware design changes in the product's history.
