Citing Asian supply-chain partners, Merrill Lynch analyst Wamsi Mohan claims that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that can double as a tablet, possibly for a 2020 launch. While the sourcing is thin, the Korea Herald reported a similar rumor in October, pointing to LG Display as a potential supplier. Apple has also applied for a foldable phone patent.
The foldable phone is headed for a comeback after several companies flirted with the idea back in 2011. Lenovo and Samsung have both shown off foldable phone concepts, and last fall ZTE released a dual-screen phone called the Axon M. It wasn’t a good product, but it did prove that having an expandable screen can be useful. With cutting-edge display technology and more polished software, Apple could finally be the company to make the idea work.
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