Smartphone technology would take a major leap when foldable displays are finally introduced commercially. We’ve seen patents filed and accepted in the past couple of years, and prototypes as well. The latest buzz on this area comes from The Investor’s report saying that Apple is developing its first iPhone with a foldable display. For this product, Apple is reportedly working with LG Display, and not Samsung amid fears of losing this technology to the South Korean giant.
The report states that LG Display has started work for supplying foldable panels for the iPhone. LG Innotek is also said to have begun work on developing the rigid flexible printed circuit board (RFPCB) for the foldable OLED iPhone. It won’t be soon though till we see the foldable iPhone as production for the displays will begin in 2020. This isn’t the first we’re hearing of a possible foldable iPhone. Last December, LG Display was reported to have started mass production of foldable displays for smartphones. Among the companies LG would supply foldable displays to included Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
Apple‘s choice of LG display for its foldable iPhone is being treated as a precaution to Samsung potentially gaining ideas. Samsung is currently the sole provider of the iPhone X’s OLED panel and is expected to continue the same next year as well. However, Samsung has already announced its plans for the company’s first foldable smartphone.
Samsung recently confirmed that it would launch a foldable smartphone around early 2018 under its Galaxy Note series. Although details are scarce, some reports suggest that the ‘Galaxy X’ smartphone will come with a flexible or secondary display. The secondary display will turn on when the smartphone is folded or bent from the middle. It’s design is expected to be so that it doubles as a flip phone as well.