Apple might be looking at creating a device with a foldable screen − so will it have what it takes to beat the best from Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola?
A patent has been spotted, which shows off Apple’s early visions of a device with a foldable screen, and it seems to solve the issue of an unsightly crease down the middle of the screen.
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Apple Insider, which first spotted the patent application, writes that “Apple’s solution is that it needs to bend the display in a certain way, specifically by allowing the middle section to bow outward slightly before making the curve around. By doing so, this can allow the main sections and edges of the display away from the curved area to meet up as close as they can, while allowing the bending section to do so at an enlarged radius, minimizing stress.”
The image below illustrates the concept:
Image Credit: US Patent and Trademark Office via Apple Insider
The device, if it ever got made, would clearly be in direct competition with other folding-screen handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X, and the Motorola Razr.
The designs are all groundbreaking and unique in their own way, but that doesn’t mean they are without their problems.
In our review of the Galaxy Fold we felt that the screen was too delicate and the outer screen too limited in its functionality to be a real winner. So perhaps there is still room in the market for Apple to introduce its own spin on the hottest trend in mobiles right now.
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Apple might not bring this patent to life, but it does have the iPhone 12 in the development pipeline (expected to arrive in September 2020), along with the iPhone SE 2 earlier in the year − a new device that’s rumoured to pack Apple’s top-notch A13 Bionic chipset inside the shell of an iPhone 8.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
