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Apple manufactures display after passing durability test for foldable phone
Bloomberg News reported on the 16th (local time), citing multiple sources, saying, “Apple has recently begun work to make a foldable phone.”
When Apple unfolds, it is explained that it is discussing the development of a foldable iPhone of various sizes, including the model of the display size (6.7 inches) of the’iPhone 12 Pro Max’. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the largest iPhone ever released.
The foldable iPhone is expected to be a clamshell type that folds up and down like the’Galaxy Z Flip’. It is known that it is being developed to hide the hinge in an almost invisible form behind the display by applying a new technology.
John Prosser, the founder of Front Page Tech, an IT magazine, posted on his Twitter last June, saying, “The foldable iPhone is a form that connects two screens through a hinge.” However, it doesn’t look like the screens are connected. It looks continuous and smooth.” Proser is famous for being familiar with Apple’s internal news.
Recently, it has been known that two prototypes of Apple’s foldable phones have passed durability tests. When Samsung and Huawei launched their first foldable phones in 2019, Apple has stepped back, but it is a message that internal research has continued.
However, Bloomberg added that the foldable iPhone is likely to be released in the next few years, or not eventually released. The media said, “(Apple’s foldable phone) development work is still limited to the display. This means that it was not made as a prototype (smart phone).”
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Will Apple increase the foldable phone market? 17 million units expected next year
If Apple participates in the foldable phone market, it is expected that a’match-up’ with Samsung Electronics will be inevitable. Currently, Samsung and Huawei are the only smartphone manufacturers that are releasing foldable phones in the global market. Of these, Samsung Electronics has an overwhelming market share of 88%, and Huawei is targeting the Chinese market mainly due to quality issues due to US sanctions have. Motorola also launched’Laser’ last year, but sold it only in some markets, including the US.
As Apple releases the foldable phone, the market itself is expected to increase. “As Apple enters the foldable phone market, sales in North America are revitalized, and display panel supply and demand improve, and when display prices go down, the foldable phone market will grow in earnest,” said Lim Soo-jeong, a researcher at Counterpoint Research. “As early as 2022 In the second half of the year, it will be around 2023 at the latest.”
Apart from its competitors, Samsung Electronics is in a position to actively promote the popularization of foldable phones this year. Samsung Electronics, which introduced’Galaxy Z Flip’ and’Galaxy Z Fold 2’in the first and second half of last year, is known to release a total of four new foldable phones this year, including low-end products.
On the other hand, market research firm Counterpoint Research predicts that the foldable phone market will grow from 2.8 million units last year to 5.6 million units this year and 17.2 million units next year.
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