Apple has been mum about its plans in the foldable device space, but the tech giant is reportedly working on a few projects that could bring a foldable iPhone to the market in three years. The tech giant is also rumored to be exploring a Mac notebook with a foldable display.
Reports about Apple’s plans for its first foldable iPhone started appearing in the wild over the last year, suggesting that the company is actively developing a device to rival Samsung’s Galaxy Z lineup. But Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) published its latest quarterly report on foldable and rollable display shipments on Monday with an updated forecast on the first foldable iPhone.
The report, written by CEO Ross Young, noted (via 9To5Mac) that DSCC has “delayed” its predictions for the foldable iPhone by two years. The group of display consultants now expects the device to ship sometime in 2025 at the earliest, following conversations with their sources in the supply chain.
Considering Samsung’s current strategy, that means there could be three generations of Galaxy Z devices before Apple even launches its first foldable iPhone. Samsung is likely not the only company to be competing in the foldable smartphone market by 2025. Oppo launched the Find N last December, while Google is also rumored to be working on a foldable Pixel.
That does not seem to bother Apple, though, and DSCC says the foldable iPhone’s launch window can happen later than 2025. “The company does not appear to be in a hurry to enter the foldable smartphone market, and it may even take longer than that,” the report reads.
In a more distant future, Apple could also extend its foldable display plans to its Mac devices. The same DSCC report suggests Apple is exploring the development of a notebook with a foldable display that could measure around 20.x inches, which would easily be the biggest laptop display from the tech giant. The analyst, who accurately reported the addition of mini-LED and ProMotion on MacBook Pro last year, said the foldable notebook’s timeframe “could be 2026 or 2027.”
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