Apple Reportedly Pauses Development of Foldable iPhone Due to Screen Failures
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Due to supplier displays failing to meet the company's own rigorous testing standards, Apple has paused the development of a foldable iPhone.
According to Fixed Focus Digital, a Guangdong-based tech video blogger with a large Chinese following, Apple has been testing competitors' foldable phones as part of its R&D process for foldable devices—a process believed to have been ongoing since 2016.
At least one of the foldable products Apple is testing reportedly uses Samsung-made displays. Samsung, a primary display panel supplier for Apple devices, is known to have previously provided foldable display samples to Apple. A recent report also claimed that Samsung has been attempting to improve operational efficiency by integrating expertise gained from manufacturing foldable devices since 2019, in anticipation of Apple's first foldable product.
However, today's rumor source states that Samsung's latest foldable panels "failed within days" under Apple's strict internal testing, leading Apple to shelve the entire project for the foreseeable future—or at least until a display can meet its high standards.
Earlier this month, The Information reported that after over five years of R&D, Apple had been actively developing prototypes for at least two foldable iPhones. These prototypes were said to fold horizontally like clamshells but were not included in Apple's 2024 or 2025 product roadmap. The report noted that the foldable iPhone could still be canceled if it fails to meet Apple's standards.
The Weibo account claiming to have received information about Apple pausing its foldable project is largely unknown, with no prior record of Apple-related leaks, casting reasonable doubt on its accuracy.
It remains unclear whether this allegation will affect Apple's ongoing development of a foldable iPad. Rumors suggest Apple is more interested in such a device, which could be thicker than a foldable iPhone since users wouldn't expect to carry it in a pocket or subject it to the same durability requirements as an iPhone.
Earlier this month, Korean media The Elec reported that Apple is considering launching its first foldable device in the coming years, with a size of 7 to 8 inches, potentially replacing the 8.3-inch iPad mini.