Apple will reportedly follow up the innovation that it showed in the iPhone X with the launch of a foldable iPhone in 2020, according to a note to clients from Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
While the rumor is not yet proven, it is certainly plausible as other smartphone manufacturers have tried their hand at the non-traditional design.
Foldable iPhone In 2020
Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst Wamsi Mohan wrote in a note to clients that Apple is working with its suppliers to launch a foldable iPhone that may double up as a tablet. The device, according to Mohan, will launch in 2020.
Mohan made the suggestion after meeting with several suppliers of Apple in Asia. He also wrote that he expects the new iPhone models coming out this fall to be mostly unchanged compared to the iPhone X, though size changes may be expected.
The suggestions for this year's iPhones coincide with previous reports that there will be three 2018 iPhone models, all of which will be based on the iPhone X. The report on a foldable iPhone, meanwhile, follows up on an October 2017 report that claimed Apple is working with LG for a foldable display.
Is Apple Really Working On A Foldable iPhone?
There are several reasons to doubt the rumor, one of which is the fact that financial analysts are usually not viewed as reliable sources for tech industry news. However, setting that aside for now, it is plausible that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone.
With companies reaching the limit of just how much of the bezels can be removed from the front of devices, the work on how smartphone displays will be further enhanced has already started. The plan is that a smartphone with a foldable screen will look like a normal device, but it can be folded out to offer a bigger screen for purposes such as watching videos and playing games.
Apple is almost never first in a category these days, such as with the HomePod in the smart speaker industry. A 2020 launch for the foldable iPhone will fall in line with this trend, as previous reports have pegged a foldable Samsung Galaxy smartphone to be released by December or by early next year. This would give Apple enough time to refine the technology before it launches the foldable iPhone.
Meanwhile, there have been previous reports that Apple is manufacturing its own MicroLED displays. These displays may arrive to the market earlier than the foldable iPhone.
