The long-rumored iPhone Fold – the colloquial term used for the company’s unannounced folding iPhone – is reported to be on schedule for a potential launch in the second half of next year.
The device is said to have reached the Prototype 1 (P1) stage last month, which is the first point at which the company creates fully-functional devices …
Apple generally starts physical work on a new product with a series of mockups that eventually evolve into realistic dummy models which replicate the look, feel, and weight of the intended device. Separately, prototype hardware is tested in breadboard form.
Following this is the realistic prototyping stage, where the company creates fully-functional units for initial testing. Digitimes reports that the iPhone Fold reached this stage sometime last month.
Apple has quietly entered the early stages of developing its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with supply chain sources confirming that the company began its initial P1 (Prototype 1) phase in June. If everything stays on track, the device could complete prototype testing by the end of 2025 and proceed to the Engineering Verification Test (EVT) stage, setting the stage for a possible launch in the second half of 2026.
This is still a very early stage. There are two further phases of prototyping before moving onto the EVT phase, which is intended to confirm that the design is practical to manufacture.
Apple is very much applying its textbook ‘best not first’ approach to a folding smartphone. While early entrants have launched models plagued with problems, Apple wanted to solve one of the biggest complaints about these: a very visible crease in the display. The high bar set by the company is expected to see display partner Samsung produce a more advanced screen than it uses in its own folding phones.
There are still question marks about the spec of the phone, with one analyst saying Apple has yet to finalize these. A leaker corroborated that, but said the specs currently in testing include a titanium body, 7.58-inch display, and dual 48MP rear cameras.
It’s likely that the design of the upcoming iPhone 17 Air was a stepping stone toward the iPhone Fold.
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