Folding iPhones could be a thing as soon as 2022 according to new report

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Fold iPhone concept
Fold iPhone concept (Image credit: Rene Ritchie / iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple is reportedly testing a foldable iPhone with a target launch window of 2022.

Apple has long been said to have a foldable iPhone in the works and at this point, it would be silly not to. But a new report suggests that Apple is pushing on with plans to get a bendy iPhone out the door with two companies tasked with providing samples for testing.

The report comes via Economic Daily which says – via Google Translate – that both Hon Hai (Foxconn) and New Nikko have been tasked with putting together devices for testing.

According to the supply chain, Apple is intensively developing folding machines. It not only continues to accumulate patents, but also requires Taiwan's supply chain to send samples for testing, including Hon Hai (2317) and New Nikko , which are partners that Apple relies on for its first folding iPhone.

The report goes on, saying that the display and bearings are of particular interest to Apple, for obvious reasons.

According to the supply chain, Apple is currently testing key components such as the screen and bearings of the folding machine in order to make the first folding iPhone come out as soon as possible. Samsung will still provide the panel for the screen. There are several suppliers for the bearing, and Taiwanese manufacturers With New Nikko as the main supplier, the assembly is estimated to be handled by Hon Hai, the largest foundry partner.

Jon Prosser has previously said that Apple is indeed working on a foldable but that it won't have a foldable display. Instead, it would feature two displays attached by a hinge.

That immediately conjures images of the Microsoft Surface Duo and its limited success. Fingers and toes are already crossed that Apple can come up with something a little more compelling. If the report's claim of a September 2022 launch are accurate, Apple has a little while left yet.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.