Foldable displays can be found in some niche phones currently, but they have issues, including rather noticeable seams where, of course, they’re folded. Perhaps that why Apple is exploring rollable displays instead.
Jack Purcher for Patently Apple:
Apple began exploring devices that would offer an expandable display using a scrollable/rollable display back in 2014. Since then we’ve covered several other patents over the years (01, 02 and 03 and more). Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published another patent application from Apple that relates to the possible use of a rollable/scrollable display within a device. Apple lists an iPhone, iPad, television (see a video example below), desktop display, vehicle dashboard (see a video example below) and more as devices that may use such a display in the future.
Apple’s invention covers an electronic device having a rollable display. The display may be moved between an unrolled state in which the display is unrolled for viewing and a rolled state in which a rollable portion of the display is rolled up for storage. In the unrolled state, the display may be planar. In the rolled state, the rollable portion bends about an axis as it is rolled onto a roller for storage.
MacDailyNews Take: As always with any technology, and certainly with foldable displays, the real question is whether Apple could get sufficient volume at a usable price to incorporate into the world’s best-selling smartphones, tablets, etc.
If they can get enough rollables, it’d be a no-brainer for Apple to get Cheech and Chong onboard as spokesmen..
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While Apple is “exploring” rollable displays, other companies are SHIPPING foldables, compelling devices that users want. I’d sooner buy a folding iPhone at $1749 than an Apple Vision SE. As cool as the latter will be, we haven’t been sold on the potential of the Vision Pro yet, beyond entertainment.
I have to assume Apple expolres a HUGE number of possible tech – even as far as patenting them – that never reach the viable Product stage. (Steve Jobs is famous for saying NO more often than YES.) Nevertheless, I, too, can’t imagine a viable product from Apple that would replace a “page” with a “scroll.” I suppose we’ll see…
Dave’s not here.
I’m still wanting my EFC Global (that had a roll up display). A 4″ x 6″ display that rolls up into something the size of an oversized fountain pen.
Well, you’ll need to be rolling in the folding stuff to buy one…
Eventually the technology will make this happen at an affordable price. Imagine something like a chunky Mont Blanc pen that you could talk on as a cell phone then pull out a display from the side to use as an iPhone. That would actually be useful as it would save space when not unrolled. Right now folding phones are just a gimmick.