Foldable iPhone suggested in new Apple patent

by Patrick Holland  February 15, 2019

An updated patent by Apple shows various ways it could use a flexible or folding display.

Apple/USPTO

Everyday it seems like there are rumors and leaks about another company working on a foldable phone. Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, Lenovo, Motorola all are rumored to have a bendable or foldable phone in the works. On Thursday, Apple updated a patent with drawings of a foldable clamshell phone. This is a continuation of a patent originally filed in 2011 and updated in 2016 with a drawing of what might be an iPhone with a flexible display.

What makes this new update particularly interesting is the timing. On Wednesday, Feb. 20, Samsung is expected to show off more of its folding Galaxy X phone when it announces its new Galaxy S10.

The new drawings show a phone that folds up in half. It’s a similar approach Motorola has in a patent for an updated Razr phone to make the phone more pocketable when not in use. Samsung and Xiaomi’s approaches seem more about transforming a phone into a mini-tablet.

Of particular interest are the various ways Apple shows incorporating hinges and housing around a flexible OLED display to make it bend. There are drawings of a clamshell design and another illustration is of a trifold design. The drawings show flexible screens folding up inward and outward which could indicate a use in something beyond a phone like a MacBook or iPad.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

These new additions to Apple’s patent for a flexible display are no guarantee that the company will release a foldable iPhone is 2019, but it’s still exciting to think about.

Source:https://www.cnet.com/news/qualcomms-new-5g-multimode-chip-means-sleeker-phones-better-battery-life/