Apple is not ready for foldable iPhones

 

Insider DylanDKT said that Apple is developing and testing two types of foldable iPhones, clamshell and book. At the same time, the release of such a device from Apple in the next few years should not be expected.

According to an insider, Apple is testing several prototype iPhones with foldable displays. In one case it is a clamshell, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and in the other - a "book", an analogue of the Galaxy Z Fold. According to the source, the release of gadgets will take place a long time ago, as the head of the company Tim Cook "is not sure that the demand for folding gadgets is a sustainable trend."

Prior to that, Samsung announced that its international shipments of Z-series smartphones increased 400% last year. Major Chinese brands have already unveiled their foldable gadgets, and numerous rumors indicate that Google is developing the Pixel Fold and other companies will soon follow the trend as well.

“At the same time, due to their high price, such models remain a premium segment product, and according to the results of tests by Roskachestvo, the owners of clamshell phones will also have to be especially careful when operating, since such phone models received average scores in strength tests. ", - said Borovkova.

The expert believes that despite the emergence of folding models from competitors, Apple may prefer to "stay true to itself" and work on improving the already familiar to all design in the monoblock format. In addition, the complication of the design would lead to an even greater rise in the cost of the device, and "iPhones" and so can not be called budget.

Most expensive iPhone

One of the main reasons a foldable iPhone can fail in the marketplace is its possible price. Considering that the current iPhone 13 in monoblock form factor costs from 80 thousand rubles, a gadget with a flexible display will cost several times more. Despite the large number of Apple fans, few of them are willing to pay even more to buy a gadget in the new form factor.

Apple is now observing and learning from competitors' mistakes by testing multiple prototypes. Earlier, authoritative insider Ming-Chi Kuo, citing sources, said that Apple plans to ship 15 to 20 million foldable iPhones in 2023. The company will likely work with Samsung as the exclusive supplier of foldable OLED displays for the new iPhone model, whose design and specifications are still unknown.

“If Apple fans can take the increase in price calmly, then potential buyers who choose between a variety of phone models of different brands would clearly be deterred by the high cost of a smartphone. This is taking into account the fact that you will additionally need to purchase, at least, a power adapter and headphones, ”said Borovkova.

Zaitsev believes that folding smartphones cannot boast of versatility - you need to get used to them, and the average price is quite high due to the complexity of production. Murtazin agrees that such a device will not be cheap, since the cost of the components is “prohibitively high”.

“Samsung's competitors today cannot release a mass device for reasonable money. The reason is that screens are very expensive. It's really important for Apple to be present in this segment, because Samsung is now single-handedly occupying it with an average price of over $ 1,000. This is the segment that has always been key for Apple, and now Samsung has been eating it for several years, ”Murtazin said.

The analyst noted that it is important for Apple to present its alternative, which will look different than what Samsung is offering. He added that the flexible iPhone is unlikely to be the end of Tim Cook's career: “It is not known when he will retire. I think he will remain at the helm for three or four years. "

New iOS

The launch of the foldable iPhone will force Apple to reimagine the long-standing iOS concept for a device with external and internal large displays. IOS is currently optimized for single-screen use, and all applications in the App Store are designed for use with “standard” iPhones or iPads.

Apple is urging app developers to create separate iPhone apps as well as separate iPad apps as the company split iOS for iPhone and iPadOS for iPad.

This fragmentation is key - if they were planning to launch a foldable device, developers would know about it and start optimizing their applications, and this information would be leaked online.

Borovkova also believes that the change in the form factor may entail the need for Apple to look for new solutions for the operating system. For example, if the model became much larger and in the unfolded form had a shape close to a square with an aspect ratio of 4: 3, then it would be necessary to work out the interface, layout and layout of the desktop, and the size of the controls.