“The arrival of foldable smartphones is fueling speculation about how Apple will respond to the latest trend in terms of product mix and pricing,” Siu Han and Steve Shen write for DigiTimes. “Although the initial sales of foldable smartphones are believed to be limited, the multiple releases of foldable models by Android-based handset vendors could undermine Apple’s status as being a leader of innovation in the field, industry observers commented.”
“Apple apparently cannot afford to ignore this emerging trend and must be keen on developing foldable models, said the observers,” Han and Shen write. “One of the indications is that Samsung Display reportedly has delivered samples of its flexible displays to Apple and Google for verification as the Korea-based panel maker is eager to expand its flexible panel business, the sources said.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Specious poppycock. This article in a nutshell: Some random “observers” claim something is the ubiquitous “bad for Apple” (read: clickbait) and Samsung’s flexible display sales dept. has sent their shitty, overpriced, scratch-able, plastic, alpha-generation samples to Apple. Big whoop.
If and when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, they’ll be showing the world how it should be done and what to copy going forward. As usual. — MacDailyNews, February 27, 2019
As with fingerprint and facial recognition, when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, then foldable smartphones will have been done right. — MacDailyNews, January 17, 2019
We’ll see a mess of weird attempts before Apple shows how it’s to be done, as usual. — MacDailyNews, January 23, 2019
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s glass supplier says it’ll be ready for real, durable foldable iPhones within ‘a couple of years’ – March 5, 2019
Apple patent application reveals foldable iPhone with self-heating display, lock-out mechanism to protect against cold weather damage – February 28, 2019
If Apple does a foldable iPhone, then folding phones will have been done right – February 28, 2019
Apple has been working on folding iPhones for years – February 27, 2019
Woz can’t wait to get a folding iPhone, is optimistic about Apple’s future – February 27, 2019
Huawei’s new foldable ‘Mate X’ smartphone starts at $2,600 – February 25, 2019
Concept design envisions what a foldable iPhone would look like – February 23, 2019
One of the main problems with Samsung’s Galaxy Fold is that it doesn’t really fold – February 22, 2019
Most analysts expect Apple to wait until 2020 to offer a foldable iPhone – February 21, 2019
Samsung announces foldable 4.6- to 7.3-inch ‘Galaxy Fold’ phone with giant off-center notch, starts at $1,980 – February 20, 2019
Xiaomi reveals dual-folding smartphone prototype (with video) – January 23, 2019
Samsung’s foldable Galaxy phone will cost ‘twice the price of a premium phone’ – January 18, 2019
Lenovo planning to resurrect Razr as a foldable $1,500 cellphone – January 17, 2019
Corning’s bendable Gorilla Glass glass could shape the foldable phones of the future – December 6, 2018
Can foldable phones help Samsung copy Apple? – November 7, 2018
Apple granted a second patent for a folding iPhone with flexible hinge – October 16, 2018
Apple gets 49 new U.S. patents including a foldable iPhone and an iPhone design invented by Steve Jobs – September 4, 2018
BoA Merrill Lynch: Apple is prepping a ‘foldable’ iPhone; U.S. and China trade tensions not an issue for Apple – March 23, 2018
Apple seeks patent for a foldable iPhone – November 28, 2017
Apple teams up with LG Display for foldable iPhone due to concerns over tech leaks to Samsung – October 11, 2017
Apple, LG Display discuss OLED display deal for 2019 – September 7, 2017
LG Display to supply OLED panels to Apple – July 31, 2017
Apple to invest $2.70 billion in LG Display’s OLED production – July 28, 2017
Apple and LG Display plan to derail Samsung’s OLED expansion plans – July 25, 2017
LG Display to invest $3.56 billion in flexible OLED plant – May 30, 2017
Apple patent details foldable iPhone – January 26, 2017
Apple granted U.S. patent for bendable or foldable iPhone using advanced carbon nanotube structures – November 1, 2016
Apple is granted another patent for new flexible handset design – November 22, 2016
If Apple never made a foldable phone, I would never miss it, ever.. waste of time and money
Well who doesn’t want a $2000 crush able phone?
Don’t forget the newly priced $500 Apple Care Plus which will now cover one accident after the $300 deductible.
Pressure? Ha! Just like the pressure to produce a netbook 10 years ago? Where are all those netbooks now? It was a bad idea that every other mfg jumped on. IF Apple sees a worthy application for foldable screens, they will bring it out when it is ready, no pressure.
Those netbooks are in every school, where there are no longer any Macs to be found. Chrome books, surfaces, and inexpensive laptops sell by the millions, 9 to 1 over Apple laptops.
Apple also makes a netbook, it’s the 12” one port wonder laptop. Open your eyes.
Since there is NO foldable glass formulation yet available for the foldable phones, those foldable phone manufacturers are using highly scratchable plastic screens over their AMOLED displays … not cool at all. Corning is apparently working on some form of foldable glass but they haven’t released anything yet. IMHO the foldable phone concept is mindbogglingly stupid but there will always be idiots with $2000+ to buy them to show off … but they will be laughingly impractical. I predict that failures along the folds will be frequent and messy and the basis for numerous class action suits in our hilariously litiginous society.
Wonder if a screen protector would work. Besides, how well does capacitive touch work with plastic screens?
How about we see how many days these folding screens last.
I’m reminded of the Tootsie Roll pop commercial…….
How many licks to get to the center……
is now……How many openings and closures to BREAK the screen….
Will be a failure, i will not be buying a
Samsung has been working on their foldable screen for several years with the wear and tear on folding the display probably their largest problem to solve. I suspect they’ve solved the problem to an acceptable level of several thousand bendings to be confident enough to put out a foldable device now. More likely you’d get carpal tunnel before you break one of the displays.
I’m reminded of the Tootsie Roll pop commercial…….
How many licks to get to the center……
is now……How many openings and closures to BREAK the screen….
Will be a failure, i will not be buying a
When folding phones begin to sell in great numbers, then you can call it a trend. Until then, it’s a novelty, like 3D television.
A solution in search of a problem. A gimmick in need of a reason to exist.
I wake up every morning thinking, Dammit, if I only had a foldable phone, my life would be perfect. J/K
“Specious poppycock”
Well yes. That said, Huawei’s Mate X with the folding screen was the most impressive product shown at this year’s Mobile World Congress by a country mile.
However, it’s version 1.0 and is more a demonstration of what can be done than a mainstream product. If Apple is working towards a folding phone, it will probably get things right and create the definitive version.