It looks like the renowned smartphone brand Apple is developing a foldable mobile for its users. The tech giant Apple Inc. hasn’t confirmed this news but has been registering patents for foldable technologies recently. A new report by TrendForce shared that Apple might launch its own folding screen phone by 2027. The foldable phone’s crease (the line that can be felt when running fingers across the screen and appears when the screen folds) has been causing the delay. Meanwhile, Samsung, OnePlus, Vivo, and other brands have already launched foldable smartphones for users, raising the competition.
TrendForce stated in a recent report that Apple is unlikely to release a foldable phone before 2027, but its launch would be a ground-breaking move for the company and would completely shift the market. Apple is constantly evaluating component specifications and performance to meet user expectations.
Apple is said to be working on prototypes of two clamshell-style iPhone models and discussing ordering LGD (LG Display) and SDC (Samsung Display). The first foldable smartphone from Apple is estimated to have a 6-inch external display and an 8-inch main display.
Meanwhile, TrendForce estimates the shipment of foldable smartphones will reach 17.8 million units in 2024, which would be 1.5% of the market. Regarding the smartphone market, Samsung had over 80% of the market share in 2022 but is now struggling to keep 50% because of competition. On the other hand, Huawei significantly impacted the smartphone market with its 4G Pocket S in 2023. It can increase its market share up to 30% with the first tri-fold smartphone released in the third quarter of 2024.
