TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Is a folding-screen iPhone on the way?

  (Agence France-Presse)
Fri, February 7, 2020 Published on Feb. 7, 2020 Published on 2020-02-07T10:43:17+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Is a folding-screen iPhone on the way? The patent focuses on an innovative hinge mechanism to prevent creasing issues that can affect folding-screen devices. (Bloomberg/File)

A

pple's most recent submission to the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has prompted speculation that there may soon be an iPhone with a folding screen.

The patent focuses on an innovative hinge mechanism to prevent creasing issues that can affect folding-screen devices.

However, it remains to be seen if the innovation is earmarked for use in a smartphone or another Apple product, for example a future Macbook, or if it will even be used in a commercially available device, which has not always been the case with the technology giant's previous patents.

The trend for folding-screen smartphones is gathering momentum.

Since the virtually simultaneous unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X almost a year ago, other manufacturers have rushed into the breach, starting with Motorola which launched the Razr, a device based on the concept of the old clamshell phones that reveals a large screen when unfolded.

This is the form factor that Samsung is expected to adopt with its new generation of folding screen smartphones, the Galaxy Z Flip, which should be introduced in mid-February along with the Galaxy S20.

In any case, this year will almost certainly be marked by iPhone launches, with the presentation of a low-cost  model awaited this spring and a new generation, the iPhone 12, expected in the fall.

It remains to be seen if a model with a folding screen will find a place in this schedule, or if one will be released in 2021.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.