A foldable iPhone with an 8-inch display will be released in 2023, according to a respected analyst. There have been previous rumors that Apple is developing a foldable iPhone, but this is the most concrete indication yet. It's predicted Apple will ship between 15 and 20 million of the first release.
Apple has been exploring the possibility of a foldable iPhone for some years now, with a patent for a folding phone design dating back to 2014. As with other products or even features, though, Apple's high standards ensure it won't be rushed into releasing something that it doesn't feel is the best it can be. That stance is perhaps justified by the various issues that were reported with early generations of foldable phones.
As reported by MacRumors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now reiterated his earlier prediction of a 2023 release date for a foldable iPhone in a note to investors. Kuo's note reportedly indicates that the device will feature a QHD+ flexible OLED display and TPK's silver nanowire touch solution that will support devices with multiple folds and rollable screens, as well as offering durability. Kuo is also reported as stating that the phone will launch "with SDC as the exclusive display supplier and Samsung Foundry as the exclusive DDI foundry provider."
Apple's Future In Foldable iPhone & Devices
The use of a touch solution that can support devices with multiple folds is characterized as giving Apple a "long-term competitive advantage" due to the potential for its use in other foldable devices. This perhaps gives a clue as to how significant — or at least potentially significant — Apple views device foldability.
Kuo certainly believes it will be a major step-change in smartphones, with MacRumors quoting him as saying foldable phones will be a "must-have" to the extent that they will partly drive the next "super replacement cycle." It's also suggested that, as the technology matures, it will begin blurring the lines between smartphones, tablets, and laptops. In addition to predicting 15-20 million shipments of the first foldable iPhone, Kuo is quoted as saying: "With its cross-product ecosystems and hardware design advantages, Apple will be the biggest winner in the new foldable device trend." Kuo has previously weighed in on whether the iPhone 13 will ditch the notch, when to expect the next iPhone SE, and why the wait for AirPods 3 might go on longer than expected.
Source: MacRumors