iPhone Fold could be one step closer to reality

Date:
Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:14:01 +0000

Description:
A new patent details a hinge that could be used by the iPhone Fold.

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The iPhone Fold (or iPhone Flip as it could be called) has been rumored for a long time, and while this foldable iPhone isnt likely to launch imminently, there is growing evidence that its in the works, with the most recent sign being a new Apple patent.

Spotted by Phone Arena , this patent titled Electronic devices with fiber composite friction hinges is for a hinge thats strong yet slim.

Of course, a hinge doesnt have to be for a foldable phone it could be for a laptop or something, which is a type of device mentioned in the patent. But
so are smartphones, and part of the description reads "the electronic device may have a flexible layer such as a flexible display that overlaps the hinge structure." Check out the best foldable phones Read our full iPhone 13 review See what we think of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

So a hinge that works with a flexible display and could be used on a phone? That certainly sounds like something that Apple could incorporate into a foldable iPhone.

As ever with patents, wed note that while this is proof that Apple is at
least exploring the idea of this hinge, it doesnt guarantee that this will make it into a product, and if it does it might not appear for a long time,
or might only show up in devices other than smartphones.

Still, its yet one more piece of the foldable iPhone puzzle, and coupled with other hints of the device that weve seen over the years, it certainly seems like one is in Apples future. Opinion: Apple could make foldable phones mainstream

At the moment foldable phones are niche devices, despite Samsungs attempts to popularize them. The company has made some headway, but its slow going, and not helped by the fact that arguably no other companies are making a
concerted effort with the tech.

But if any brand has a better chance to make foldable phones big than
Samsung, its Apple. Beyond Apple being a massive brand with loyal customers, its fans are also used to paying high prices for phones, so the inevitably high cost of an iPhone Flip might not put too many people off.

Its also telling that Apple hasnt launched one yet so often the company will wait until tech is perfected before launching a product or feature, so if and when it does launch an iPhone Flip, the phone will probably be a polished product, with none of the growing pains weve seen from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line.

Still, theres no doubt Apple has been watching and learning from Samsung
here, so however popular the iPhone Flip ultimately is, it will probably partly have Samsung to thank. Check out all the best iPhones



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-fold-could-be-one-step-closer-to-reality /


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