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Iphone Apple

Apple Has Purportedly Asked Foxconn To Create Two Foldable iPhone Prototype Shells (gizmodo.com) 29

Posted by msmash from the how-about-that dept.
Apple appears to be moving along in its development of a foldable iPhone, according to new rumors. The company has apparently asked its Foxconn, its biggest iPhone supplier, to create two prototype foldable shells with displays. From a report: As reported by Tom's Guide on Sunday, which cites Taiwanese website United Daily News, Apple's two prototypes reflect two very different approaches to foldable phones in the industry. Tom's Guide states that one of the designs is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which let us remember has a flexible screen with crease in the middle and can be folded. The other is closer to Microsoft's Surface Duo, the outlet notes, a device with two screens that resembles a book and is held together by a hinge. It's not clear whether Apple is working on two separate foldable phones or whether it's testing various ideas for the final new type of iPhone, per Tom's Guide.
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Apple Has Purportedly Asked Foxconn To Create Two Foldable iPhone Prototype Shells More

Apple Has Purportedly Asked Foxconn To Create Two Foldable iPhone Prototype Shells

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  • Phablet is dead, flip phone is back! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by sinij ( 911942 ) on Monday January 04, 2021 @12:57PM (#60895092)
    What is old is new again.
  • So Apple is actually two or three generations behind on foldable phones compared to Samsung and Chinese manufacturers and is now working to at least catch up. When is Apple going to introduce behind-screen selfie-camera's? The company is investing in dead-ends (like iTouch 3D and Face Id) and becoming less relevant every day. If it weren't for the almost religious following in the U.S. they''d have sunk a long time ago.
    • I think the idea is cool, but I really wouldn't want to drop $1500+ on a Samsung or Lenovo foldable that feels like a public Beta test of this technology.

      I think Apple approaching foldables conservatively will ultimately end up with them producing a useable/reliable product.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dbialac ( 320955 )
        I have a Z Flip, but I bought one reconditioned which saved me about $400 at the time. You can pick them up now for under $700 now on Amazon. I'll tell you straight away: if you don't need the absolute fastest CPU (most of us don't), it's great to have. If I drop my phone while it's closed, nothing happens to it. The fact that it's folded protects the phone. It fits in my pocket far better than a normal phone does because it folds. I don't have to worry about things in my pockets scratching the screen. I li
    • When has Apple been the cutting edge when it comes to anything? That has not stopped them from being dominant in their markets. For example, the iPod was not the first or only MP3 player. The iPad was not the first or only tablet. The Apple Watch was not the first or only smart watch.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by robi5 ( 1261542 )

        When? When they introduced the original iPhone, with an incredibly slick, polished and intuitive UI for the first time on a mobile device (for the time obv.), turning an industry characterized by Nokia slabs and Palm Pilots and Windows CE on PocketPCs into something that had mass consumer appeal. Which also begat Android, as a whole. Or the iPhone 4 with its high resolution screen, the first time pixels became next to indiscernible. That's when.

        Even, with the iPod and the fancy clickwheel, they were cutting

        • Many times Apple was not the first but they were able to put in good ideas after seeing someone else do it first. The click wheel was a major improvement over CD player style interfaces, etc. But my point is just because they were not the first does not mean they will not still dominate.

    • So Apple is actually two or three generations behind on foldable phones compared to Samsung and Chinese manufacturers and is now working to at least catch up. When is Apple going to introduce behind-screen selfie-camera's? The company is investing in dead-ends (like iTouch 3D and Face Id) and becoming less relevant every day. If it weren't for the almost religious following in the U.S. they''d have sunk a long time ago.

      Spoken like someone who truly doesn't get it. Apple has never been first at anything. Ever. That's not how Apple works.

      • OK, how then, pray tell, are they, actually, effectively, the most innovative company? Huh?

        • OK, how then, pray tell, are they, actually, effectively, the most innovative company? Huh?

          I don't believe in deities, so I can't pray. But I will tell you. They wait till the technology in certain areas matures and then they make a class winning product.

          Apple didn't invent a single thing in the iPhone. They just saw how those pieces could all go together.

    • Apple is rarely on the cutting edge. The Apple iPhone design with a multi-touch display was really a fluke in Apples history.

      The way Apple works, they take technology that is often a few generations already, then taking a few years of lessons learned, make something much more refined and better. Because they don't need keep many of the legacy problems.

      Before the iPod we had MP3 Players, they were good. But kinda clunky to use. Apple streamlined the design, looking at what is being made, and found out wha

      • The way Apple works, they take technology that is often a few generations already, then taking a few years of lessons learned, make something incompatible with anything else.

        FTFY. They replace USB with BlunderDolt.

      • Apple is rarely on the cutting edge.

        On the contrary, they are the king of lockdown, and furthermore, the customers like it that way. Very cutting edge PR

    • Friend has a foldable Samsung. I found it clunky and the part where the screen folds looked a bit strange. I didn’t see it as a improvement, all things considered. Apple is rarely first in any product category (though their recent M1 is making waves) but you can bet that they will polish a concept over a long time, moresomthan any other tech brand, before they release it commercially. Maybe if they release a folding iphone, it will suck less, but I will likely stay with a non folding phone.

  • I Never Understood This (Score:3)

    by organgtool ( 966989 ) on Monday January 04, 2021 @02:51PM (#60895704)

    Tom's Guide states that one of the designs is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

    Given that these foldable phones are twice as thick, I never really understood the market for this phone since that would likely be far less comfortable in a pants pocket. But apparently Samsung, Motorola, and Apple think there's a big market for people who want to walk around with a choad in their pocket.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dbialac ( 320955 )
      I have one. I find it's a lot more comfortable in my pockets, but I also don't wear skinny jeans.

    • " But apparently Samsung, Motorola, and Apple think there's a big market for people who want to walk around with a choad in their pocket."

      It's for girls, they superglue it to their hand I think, according to what I see.

    • Somehow I never had a problem fitting a thick phone in my pocket. A device the size of a small book on the other hand is a bit of a problem. My pockets can comfortable handle a large wallet, but not so much an A5 sheet of paper which is about the size these foldable devices are approaching.

  • They're doing two prototypes to see which of the two the Chinese child labour force can assemble faster.

  • Don't . . . just don't. We respect your right to research anything stupid, but nothing ensures a littering of lackluster wave of clone of BAD IDEAS like Apple trying something stupid.
  • Most likely foldable phones won't go anywhere. Including Apple foldable phones. But you never can predict the future.

    So what Apple does is invest a little bit of money (a few million dollars perhaps) so in the unexpected case that foldable phones suddenly take off, they can release one quickly.

    A foldable phone needs hardware that survives folding and unfolding, and developing that needs few people and long time. So you want to start as early as possible even if you throw their work away in the end. A

  • Sigh here we go again.

    1. Samsung releases new concept.
    2. Apple mocks new concept.
    3. Apple copies Samsung.

    Weird, it feels like yesterday someone posted the exact opposite on Slashdot. They got a "+5 insightful" so I guess I'm aiming for "-5 wtf-bro" mod :-)

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