Apple considers the foldable iPhone; Minor changes are planned for 2021 models

Photographer: Michael Short / Bloomberg

Apple Inc. had earlier started working on an iPhone with a foldable screen, a possible competitor with similar devices from Samsung Electronics Co. and others, though planning only minor changes for this year’s iPhone series.

The Cupertino, California-based company, has developed prototype folding screens for internal testing, but has not confirmed plans to launch a foldable iPhone. According to the person familiar with the work, Apple asked not to be identified and not to discuss private matters.

Like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, the Motorola Razr recharge and other offerings from Chinese companies, including Huawei Technologies Co., a foldable iPhone, allow Apple to make a device with a larger screen in a more pocket-sized package. Apple has internally discussed a number of foldable screen sizes, including one that unfolds to the same size as the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Current foldable phones have screens that are folded open between 6 and 8 centimeters.

The foldable Apple screens, such as Samsung, have a mostly invisible hinge with the electronics behind the screen, the person said. Other companies, including Microsoft Corp., have recently introduced devices with visible hinges that separate two different panels. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

That would be a drastic departure for Apple. Its groundbreaking, touch-screen full-screen smartphone is arguably the most successful consumer technology product in history, helping to make Apple the world’s most valuable company. However, a foldable iPhone is probably years away or may never be launched. The company is currently focused on launching its next generation of flagship iPhones and iPads later this year.

Apple is not planning major changes to this year’s iPhone line, given the improvements the smartphone made in 2020, including 5G and new designs, according to people familiar with the situation. Within Apple, engineers consider the following iPhones to be another “S” version of the device, the name usually given to new iPhones with minor upgrades.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also hampered product development, with Apple hardware engineers working only a few days a week and in limited numbers at the Silicon Valley office. This has meant that work is being downloaded to Apple’s engineers in China.

Last year, the pandemic delayed the release of the iPhone 12 by a few weeks, but Apple was still able to include almost every intended feature except for an accessory called ‘AirTags’ for detecting physical items such as backpacks and keys. The company plans to launch this accessory this year, and it is planning several accessories for it, including a keychain of leather. Samsung announced a similar gizmo earlier this month.