Apple started working on a foldable phone and started prototyping foldable screens internally, according to Bloomberg. An end device is probably still years away, the report says, and Apple is only working on the screen for now – not on the rest of the phone it would connect to..
The initial prototypes sound similar to the folding screens we’ve seen used by Samsung, Motorola and others. Bloomberg says Apple is thinking of making folding screens with an “almost invisible hinge” that could unfold around the size of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The report says that several screen sizes are being discussed, however.
Apple has not publicly indicated any interest in making a foldable phone, although the company rarely shows its interest before entering a new product category. The main competitors have an initial advantage in folding devices, with Samsung and Motorola already launching several generations of foldable phones. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold was launched in April 2019 (albeit with some substantial problems).
On a more immediate note, Bloomberg there are some updates to Apple products coming in 2021. This year’s iPhone is expected to have “minor updates”, but another substantial improvement is still a possibility: a fingerprint sensor on the screen. Bloomberg already said in 2019 that Apple was analyzing the feature as early as 2020, and would be an obvious addition in 2021, as the widespread adoption of face masks has seriously impaired the ability to use Face ID.
It is unclear how likely the Touch ID on the display will be launched in 2021 (Apple tends to have iPhone features blocked well before production), but Bloomberg says Apple “is still testing” the technology for inclusion this year. On a worse note, Bloomberg it also says that Apple discussed removing the Lightning port in favor of wireless charging on “some” iPhone models.
Apple’s longtime competitor to Tile, AirTags, finally planned to launch this year, Bloomberg reports, and the iPad Pro can be updated with a Mini LED screen. A thinner iPad is also in development.