Patent suggests Apple may be working on clamshell foldable: Report

Compared to what other smartphone brands offer, Apple looks to be far behind the competition when it comes to foldables. The Cupertino giant is yet to launch or showcase its first foldable device with a folding display, while other brands’ existing lineup of smartphones has at least one foldable model. Recent rumors have suggested that Apple is working on larger foldable devices, with the latest report pointing towards the development of a foldable MacBook laptop with a 20-inch display. A recent report suggests that Apple’s iPhone has been delayed to 2027 and even claims that Vision Pro staff are now directed to work on the foldable device instead. Has gone. Now, an old patent that was filed last year has been published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which suggests that Apple is indeed working on a clamshell foldable design.

patent (US 20240147644 A1) was filed in October last year and published by the USPTO on May 2, 2024. report Patently Apple, which was the first to bring these details to light, has a very interesting hinge design for a small or compact foldable, which in Apple’s case could be a Plus or Max sized iPhone or an iPad. Mini. To make things clearly clear, Apple refers to the device as a device which could be a cellular phone, a computer, or a portable electronic device.

Every foldable device in existence today relies on a reliable hinge mechanism and foldable display. Apple’s design appears to be similar to what most smartphone makers have currently achieved with their foldables. It would consist of two halves of a chassis held together by synchronized gear plates with interlocked teeth to guide the opening and closing mechanisms and protect the internal folding display. According to the diagram the foldable device is held together using interconnected links (such as the metal links of a metal watch bracelet) with limited rotation. The mechanism of these interconnecting links appears to be much more complex than what most manufacturers have today.

A quick glance also reveals that Apple’s hinge design feels significantly thicker than the designs available on most foldable smartphones today due to its complexity. And given how thick it looks from the patent’s diagrams, it might actually make more sense in a foldable iPad than an iPhone, given Apple’s idea of ​​working on a foldable iPad rather than a foldable iPhone. Points to old rumours.

Designing a hinge for a larger tablet or laptop would also pose fewer challenges for Apple than designing a hinge for an iPhone because most tablets and computers do not require strict IP ratings, which some manufacturers have so far only partially achieved. Have struggled with form. For example, Samsung’s currently available Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Review) offers an IPX8 rating (which provides minimal protection against dust and debris) while its regular smartphones offer a reasonable IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. .