Apple is gearing up for a new year of fresh tech, with recent reports of a smaller, more affordable iPhone in the works arriving just a few weeks ago. Now, it's looking like the house that Steve Jobs built is finally looking to get into the innovative folding phone market if these latest unearthed patents are accurate.
AppleInsider reported on the patent (seen above), which was first published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday (February 4) under the title "Electronic devices with flexible displays and hinges." As the description notes, this new device would incorporate "a flexible display that overlaps an axis," which could actually fold without a crease and might even use glass instead of plastic. What sets this one apart from, say, the Samsung Galaxy is a new hinge mechanism that makes the middle bend outwards as it folds over. As AppleInsider states, the "softer bend" inside the hinge allows for the use of less flexible glass panels and less pressure at the point of the curve.
Check out official photos of the folding iPhone concept over at AppleInsider, where you can also find more details from the official patent. Let us know if you think this will be the move that makes #TeamiPhone come out on top in the phone wars down in the comments.
Apple To Release A Smaller, More Affordable iPhone In March: Report
Will this be the move that makes Apple the dominant phone company?
In the ongoing war between phone manufacturers — in reality it’s just Apple vs. Samsung — many people proudly take a stance between either being #TeamiPhone or #TeamAndroid. However, Apple’s latest move may reportedly put them in the forefront for those that are looking for the most affordable option.
While many people were geeked off the iPhone 11 Pro unveiling a few months back (seen above), one of those bad boys will run you upwards of $1,000. Well, according to a report from Bloomberg, a “low-cost iPhone” will go into production this February and could be unveiled as early as March 2020. Bloomberg also notes that, if true, it would look similar to the iPhone 8 that was released in 2017 and include a 4.7-inch screen plus Touch ID built into the home button again. For those who were fans of Apple’s Face ID authentication, that will unfortunately be left out of the build for this proposed model. However, reports claim it will operate utilizing the same processor as the Apple iPhone 11. In short, the price will be cheap but the structure and specs will be top notch for the most part. Think of it as the “iPhone SE, Part II.”
Are you looking forward to another iPhone, particularly one that’s more affordable than the high-end iPhones Apple is planning to drop later in 2020? Sound off below in the comments!