Apple is looking into building a rollable iPhone

Still waiting for that foldable iPhone? Perhaps we’re getting a rollable iPhone instead. The iPhone Flip could be Apple’s first foldable phone. Here’s what we know so far. 

Apple has been awarded a patent for a smartphone with a rollable display (via Patently Apple(opens in a new tab)). The patent(opens in a new tab), filed in Nov. 2022 and published on Thursday, describes an electronic device with a display that “may be moved between an unrolled state in which the display is planar and a rolled state in which a rollable portion of the display is rolled up for storage.”

The patent mentions using a “locally thinned” glass layer in the rollable portion, as well as a display configured in such a way that the “compressive stress in the outwardly facing glass surface may help prevent damage to the display when the display is bent.”

How about a display that rolls out or in on both sides?
While the patent talks about electronic devices with displays in general, it also specifically mentions portable devices such as smartphones.

We know rollable displays are very much possible; LG has been on the forefront of this niche with a rollable OLED TV, as well as a rollable phone that came very close to launching but ultimately never saw the light of day. Motorola also showcased a few rollable phone concepts, as did Oppo, but neither company ever launched such a phone to a wide audience.

Apple, however, is typically far more cautious when introducing such technologies into its widely available products. The fact that the company has a patent for devices with rollable displays at least gives hope that a rollable iPhone or iPad may happen in the future, but we wouldn’t bet on it happening very soon.

iPhone Flip release date speculation 

The launch date of the iPhone Flip is open to speculation, but the latest rumors are pointing toward a 2024 launch.

Display analyst Ross Young, who has a track record for being accurate with such tips, has suggested Apple could introduce a foldable iPhone in 2023. That said, even Young believes that 2024 is probably the more likely launch year for such a device.

However, a report from Ming-Chi Kuo states that a foldable iPhone may not arrive until 2025. Another analyst, Ben Wood, believes we will at least get a foldable iPad before then.

Suffice to say, no one knows if or when an iPhone Flip will show up. Skepticism here is the healthiest outlook.

iPhone Flip display

Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the first foldable iPhone will have a huge display measuring 8 inches. That would be larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which offers a 7.6 inch display when it’s opened up. An 8-inch display would also be nearly as large as the 8.3-inch iPad mini.

A different report claims Apple could be working with LG on a 7.5-inch OLED foldable display panel.

But that’s not all — another report from Kuo says that Apple is testing a 9-inch display for a foldable. That would dwarf any foldable phone on the market right now.

Kuo has also said that Apple’s thinking about using color e-ink displays for the exterior display on foldables. This kind of screen wouldn’t be as reactive as an LCD or OLED panel, but it would be great for keeping battery consumption low.

Interestingly a patent also suggests Apple could grant the iPhone Flip a measure  of self-preservation should it ever be dropped. The idea behind the patent is the Flip’s hinge will start to close mid-drop, and shift the balance of the phone and avoid having the screen hit the ground and being damaged.

iPhone Flip design: What will it look like?

Apple has tested two different kinds of iPhone Flip: a fold-out book-style hybrid tablet, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold lineup or the newly unveiled Pixel Fold, and a clamshell flip phone design akin to the Galaxy Z Flip range. Those sources also claim Apple will be going ahead with the clamshell design, though it is still early in the development process and there’s a chance things could change.

Patent filings also reveal some of the things Apple may be considering for its foldable, including any future devices that might skip the clamshell design in favor of something else.

We became aware of an Apple patent describing a “joint operating mode” which would allow a single-screen device to be supplemented by a magnetically-connected secondary display. In theory, this mode would allow independent devices to join to comprise one shared space, which doesn’t really pertain to the whole singular foldable panel idea. It’s more Microsoft Surface Duo 2 than Samsung Galaxy Fold.

Yet another patent, originally filed in the second quarter of 2018 and subsequently unearthed by PatentlyApple, depicts a device with a flexible display that folds closed yet still leaves a small strip at the bottom exposed for easy access to notifications and contextual information. Think of it like a miniature Touch Bar, similar to what’s available on the MacBook Pro M2 and older MacBook models.

If we go back to beyond 2020, we can see earlier musings on foldable designs from Apple, including a patent for a tri-folding display. And going back even further back to 2016, we can see one of the earliest foldable iPhone patents, courtesy of MacRumors, depicting a vertically-folding handset similar in orientation to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Motorola Razr.

A pair of patents won by Apple cover durable foldable displays as well as a foldable screen with textured flexible areas. Those patents don’t mention a phone specifically, so Apple could also be mulling a foldable tablet.

All that feeds the imagination of designers who post concept renderings depicting possible looks for the iPhone Flip/Fold. Take this 3D mockup posted by a YouTube account called #iOS beta news which looks a little bit like a Galaxy Z Flip copycat, down to its slim bezels, centrally-positioned hole-punch camera cutout, minimal exterior display and vertical orientation. It’s a design we could envision Apple actually releasing, at least with more fine-tuning beyond the rough idea presented here.

Another iPhone Flip concept design from LetsGoDigital features a smaller notch and external cover display in addition to a folding screen.

ConceptsiPhone has published a video of an iPhone Flip concept that looks a lot like an Apple version of the Galaxy Z Flip. It features a smaller notch than the iPhone 14 (although no Dynamic Island like the iPhone 14 Pro), a 120Hz display and an in-screen Touch ID sensor. The concept design also equips the phone with an M1 chip, which sounds a bit far-fetched, but given Apple now uses its M1 silicon in the iPad Pro and iPad Air, perhaps we will eventually see it in a high-end phone too rather than the usual A-series chip.

Designer Antonio De Rosa tweeted out images that show a foldable iPhone that offers some elements of the Galaxy Z Flip such as an external notification screen, while maintaining some distinctive iPhone touches. Those include flat edges, an iPhone 13 Pro-like camera array and — in a nod to Apple’s rumored future iPhone plans beyond 2022 — no notch or Dynamic Island at all.

Perhaps the best-looking (and most realistic) iPhone Flip design comes from 4RMD, who envisions a flip phone-style design with a 6.8-inch screen when the phone is open. As with the Galaxy Z Flip, there’s an outer exterior display to handle notifications and other alerts.

When Apple’s first foldable iPhone takes shape, Cupertino won’t be able to go it alone. Over the last three years, we’ve heard competing rumors that Apple has been in talks with both LG and Samsung to supply the flexible displays for whatever device it ultimately winds up launching. In March 2019, it was reported by Korean media (via MacRumors) that Samsung Display sent Apple panel samples for analysis.

But what if Apple didn’t go with a flexible display for its first folding iPhone, and opted instead for a dual-panel approach like the Surface Duo? That’s a possibility posed by Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, who suggested Cupertino has prototyped such a design. Prosser says this device retains the iPhone 11’s rounded appearance — remember, the iPhone 12 re-introduced flat edges to Apple’s lineup — but incorporates a hinge, and that the two separate screens come together fairly seamlessly when outstretched.

If the computer renders and illustrations of the foldable iPhone aren’t enough, then take a look at this real-life concept from Technology Aesthetics. The team there has created a real-life “iPhone V” using parts from iPhones and a Motorola Razr, although it’s got a lot of problems that go to show just how tricky it is to make phones fold.

iPhone Flip: Durability

We saw a patent in October 2020 which suggested the iPhone Flip could come with an upgraded version of the iPhone’s ceramic shield. It would be specifically designed for a flexible display, and consist of four layers: a cover layer, a hardcoat layer, an inner surface, and a transparent support layer. That support layer could even be made of glass or sapphire for additional strength.

There’s also been speculation that the display could “heal” itself thanks to a “self-healing material” layer that would minimize the appearance of scratched or dents.

There’s no guarantee Apple will launch such a handset, of course, but Prosser’s report reminds us that the firm’s first foldable phone could play out a number of ways. While flexible panels are all the rage these days, dual-screen hardware could ultimately win out if Apple isn’t enamored with the reliability, durability or cost of a device with a single, folding screen.

In February 2020, one Apple patent emerged that would theoretically allow the foldable display to bend in the middle without creating excessive stress on the panel. Inside the hinge, the screen would bow out in a sense, creating more of a gradual curve than a hard crease. The hope is that such a design would assist in durability and extend the life of the display. It’s worth noting the Galaxy Z Flip actually incorporates a design not too dissimilar from this.

Apple has since filed a continuation patent that spells out ways of making the iPhone Flip more durable with the help of a crack-resistant display.
iPhone Flip price: What would it cost?

This is the toughest question to answer, both because price has never been a part of what few foldable iPhone rumors there are — another sign that the iPhone Flip will be shipping later rather than sooner — and because the device’s cost will largely depend on how Apple approaches the design.

Consider that the Galaxy Fold debuted for $1,980 with a 7.3-inch tablet-like display when unfolded, and a tiny 4.6-inch panel on the outside. Just six months later, the Galaxy Z Flip released with a more vertically-proportioned 6.7-inch screen coated in Ultra-Thin Glass for better durability for $600 less. The same price difference has been maintained on the most recent Galaxy foldables, with the Z Fold 4 costing $1,799 at launch and the Z Flip 4 just $999.

If Apple opts for a smaller and cheaper foldable, the phone’s price may not be a far cry from premium handsets like the $1,099 iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, if the foldable iPhone is intended as a phone that can become a tablet when needed, like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it’s certainly possible the price could well exceed those of Apple’s more conventional smartphones, perhaps pushing, or exceeding, the dreaded $2,000 mark.
iPhone Flip: Could it be a rollable instead?

There’s a chance that Apple could surprise us all by introducing not a folding iPhone, but a rolling one. Patents suggest that Apple’s considering a rollable phone that could store part of its display inside the phone until you need it.

No other company’s managed to bring a rollable to market yet, but Apple’s certainly got the resources to do so if it wished to. We still suspect it would go for a foldable iPhone rather than a rollable initially, but it’s fun to see Apple investigating another potential way to evolve its phone.
iPhone Flip: The competition

If the iPhone Flip doesn’t arrive until next year, Apple will certainly be giving its rivals a head start on the foldable phone front. Samsung is now up to its fourth version of the Galaxy Z Fold and there’s a new Galaxy Z Flip, too. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are expected to ship later this year.

The Pixel Fold is joining the mix as a competitor to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, matching that phone’s $1,799 asking price. It’s a phone that opens up to show off a 7.6-inch screen, with a Tensor G2 chipset running the show. Our Pixel Fold hands-on finds a lot to like about Google’s first foldable, though there are some rough edges, too.

A new Motorola Razr, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, could be arriving shortly, featuring a flip phone design similar to what’s rumored for the iPhone Flip. This Razr could ship in the U.S., unlike recent versions of the phone that have only shipped overseas. The OnePlus V Fold will reportedly debut in the second half of 2023.

As should be clear by now, we still have to see whether anyone outside of Samsung can succeed with foldable phones. But that shouldn’t dissuade Apple, which has rarely been first-to-market with its landmark products. Typically, Apple only launches devices like the iPod, iPhone and iPad when it feels that its addressed the shortcomings of similar devices. You could see the company take a similar tack with the iPhone Flip.
iPhone Flip outlook

There’s so much we’ve yet to learn regarding Apple’s foldable iPhone plans, but one thing is for certain: Whatever strategy Apple takes in developing its first foldable phone will likely dictate the trajectory of the industry.

Samsung may have been the first out of the foldable phone gate with the Galaxy Fold, but that company is continuing to test out different form factors as it looks to find out what phone shoppers really want.

Apple has a history of instituting major change in the mobile market with every release: the abandonment of the headphone jack, elimination of bezels and adoption of the notch were all trends kicked off by iPhones. And although 5G handsets are more common than ever, 2020’s iPhone 12 likely served as most people’s introduction to 5G.

Ultimately, foldable tech and the smartphone industry at large has a lot riding on how Apple approaches the dream of an iPhone that folds.