Apple halts foldable iPhone development amid screen failures: Report

Apple’s foldable iPhone: Apple has halted its development of a foldable iPhone, allegedly due to issues with supplier displays failing to meet the company's stringent testing standards, according to reports emerging from China. 

Citing sources from Fixed Focus Digital, a prominent Weibo-based tech video blogger, Apple's exploration into foldable devices, which began around 2016, has hit a snag as the screens from key suppliers, including Samsung, reportedly failed Apple's rigorous internal testing.

While Samsung, a supplier of display panels for Apple, has previously provided foldable display samples to the tech giant, recent rumours suggest that their latest folding panels experienced reliability issues during Apple's testing phase, leading to the suspension of the foldable iPhone project.

Although Apple has been actively prototyping two foldable iPhone models, which fold widthwise like a clamshell, the devices are not expected to be part of Apple's product lineup for 2024 or 2025, according to a report from The Information.

The reliability concerns surrounding foldable iPhone screens raise doubts about the accuracy of the claims, particularly since the source lacks a proven track record in Apple-related rumours. Moreover, it remains uncertain whether this setback affects Apple's development of a foldable iPad, a product rumoured to be of greater interest to the company.

Despite the setback in foldable iPhone development, speculation persists regarding Apple's potential entry into the foldable device market, with reports suggesting a forthcoming foldable device that could potentially replace the iPad mini.