Following the launch of iPhone X last September, Apple is likely to look for new groundbreaking features to top its current flagship device. According to the latest reports, it appears that the Cupertino-based tech giant has already figured out a way to make the iPhone handset more revolutionary, and that is by introducing a foldable design.
As reported by CNET, an iPhone patent recently filed by Apple was spotted with a foldable display and body mechanisms. There were rumors that the company is not stopping from making the iPhone brand the best among the other premium flagship phones. To note, the current iPhone X device was the first to bring a 3D full facial recognition technology via Face ID system. For Apple's next entry, the revolutionary feature would be the iPhone's bendable physical design.
It is speculated that Apple is keeping every detail about its next revolutionary iPhone under wraps. The company needs to do so if it would like to keep its ideas as authentic as possible, preventing the rival companies to copy the design. In fact, Apple is said to have made a secret partnership with LG for the development of the foldable iPhone's display panel. It looks like Apple is avoiding Samsung to be a partner in this project to make sure that the next Galaxy devices will not have a similar design as the foldable iPhone.
At this point, it is not expected that the patent for a foldable iPhone device will not take effect anytime as early as 2018. Reports suggest that this iPhone design will become available in 2020, and that estimate could already be a bit too soon. The iPhone is expected to sport a foldable OLED screen display, although the bottom portion can also be folded when the handset is not in use. An edge-to-edge screen design also comes handy in this bendable display, as the display controller can be hidden at the bottom.
Samsung already announced earlier this year that it is targeting to release a foldable Galaxy phone in 2018. The device, tentatively called as Galaxy X, is expected to rival Apple's foldable iPhone in the years to come, although the competition is not yet a guarantee. Apple has been reported to obtain certifications for flexible handset patents in the past, but none of those were actually developed. It is also worth noting that Apple made plans to have the fingerprint sensor embedded right under the display panel, but such design never materialized.
