Will Apple debut a folding iPhone next year? — AFP Relaxnews
A patent granted to Apple has been spotted for a phone that folds not once, but twice.
As we're patiently awaiting the release of the first-ever folding smartphone, according to Patently Apple, Apple is patenting several models of their own folding device that we can assume is for a future iPhone.
In 2013, Apple began its quest for a flexible phone with a patent that was granted two years later for a display that bends in a similar fashion to a slap bracelet. Since then, as outlined by 9to5Mac, Apple has been granted patents for a plethora of designs anywhere from a book-like folding display, a flip-phone style folding display, to most recently, a tri-fold display. Basically, the first folding iPhone has a considerable amount of options.
This particular patent covers a range of hinge-based designs, as opposed to the previously patented "bend" blueprint. The flexible hinge is the main point of the application, and the company goes on to display the mechanism in centre- and tri-folding positions.
The company looks to be hoping to secure its place in the folding phone market while other brands are more focused on being the first to release such a device.
Apple hasn't mentioned anything about its plans to release a folding iPhone yet, but it seems to be in the works considering that the first patent popped up over five years ago. – AFP Relaxnews
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