Apple is working on a folding iDevice, but it’s not what you might expect
A foldable iDevice could be coming, but it might not be an iPhone. At least, not at first. Evidence suggests that Apple is working on folding technology for the company’s iPad before anything else.
Based on patents that Apple has filed over the last few years, analysts now think the first foldy iDevice is going to be a folding iPad with an in-screen fingerprint scanner in 2021. It’s surprising, because until now many people were expecting it to be the iPhone that got the origami treatment first.
An investor’s note from UBS brought up by CNBC says that Apple is “steadily working on the technology,” but it’s still a few years away. The biggest hurdle? It could well be the price. A survey has found that people interested in a folding Apple device are only willing to pay a maximum of $600 on top of the price for the ability of folding it up, but considering that Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy Fold was planning to retail for $2,000 at launch, which could put the price out of reach for even hardened iFans.
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The technology is still in its infancy, too. The first device available to consumers was planned to be the Galaxy Fold, but after several reviewers in the United States actually managed to break their devices through the process of reviewing them, plans to launch the phone, well, folded.It was planned to release in April, and no date for a release has yet been revealed.
As we always see with Apple, chances are that they will want to bring their own twist to the technology. However, based on the fact that Apple are now moving from design into being a more security conscious company, it’s hard not to see the prospect of a folding phone from the tech giant as a case of the emperor’s new clothes. After all, who really wants a folding phone, beyond to brag about having a folding phone?
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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.
