Apple is working on the development of a foldable device that could be larger than a smartphone, according to a report. The purported foldable device could arrive in the form of a notebook or a tablet, according to a DigiTimes report that cites Taiwan-based supply chain sources. The iPhone maker is said to have been working on a folding device for at least half a decade and is expected to decide on the design of the device before the company begins manufacturing.
According to the report (via MacRumors), the Cupertino company is working on a “larger device” hat could arrive in the form of the aforementioned devices, instead of a foldable iPhone. In order to do so, the company has reportedly tasked engineers from the Vision Pro team with the development of components for the foldable device, including the hinge.
If Apple does release a foldable device in the coming years — the report says a launch before 2025 is unlikely — it is likely to compete with products from Samsung, Oppo, Google, Huawei, and Xiaomi. These are just some of the firms that already offer foldable devices that can currently be purchased by consumers.
Earlier this month, Chinese tipster ‘Fixed Focus Digital’ (translated from Chinese) claimed that Apple had suspended the development of a device with a foldable screen due to a screen test that did not offer satisfactory results, and that the iPhone maker had bought several competitors foldable smartphones to dismantle them, while “speeding up the research and development” process.
The report contradicts this claim, stating that the work on a foldable phone has not been suspended and the company is working on more than one foldable device, with different departments tasked with developing each product. Apple is yet to announce any plans to launch a foldable smartphone in the coming months — or years.
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