Apple May Launch Two Foldable IPhone Models In 2023

Apple has been working on the foldable phone since 2016. (photo: doc. gizmochina)

JAKARTA - Not long ago released the iPhone 13 series last week, now the Cupertino giant, United States (US) is expected to launch the first folding iPhone in 2023.

Many patents show that Apple has been working on the foldable phone since 2026. According to industry experts, Apple is working on two types of foldable devices, the first one that folds vertically, and the second one that folds horizontally. Claimed to be similar to the Samsung Z Flip and Z Fold.

Reported by Gizmochina, Monday, September 20, Apple and Samsung have jointly developed a foldable OLED panel for the upcoming foldable iPhone. The panel is reported to be a 7.5-inch foldable display panel that uses etching techniques to reduce thickness. Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to be a clamshell smartphone.

Meanwhile, as per research from market research firm DSCC, Samsung Electronics' share in the foldable smartphone market is expected to be 87 percent last year. It's unlikely to drop below 75 percent even after the debut of Apple's first foldable smartphone.

According to industry sources, "Apple won't be able to lead the foldable phone market for a while with the market being led by Samsung Electronics and Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and Xiaomi already releasing such products," he said.

Previously reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, said Apple could launch a foldable iPhone in 2023, but the project hasn't officially started yet, meaning that it could be delayed or even suspended like the much-awaited AirPower.

According to a recent study from Counterpoint Research and Strategy Analytics, the market size of foldable smartphones is expected to reach 90 million units in 2023 and 100 million units in 2025, as well as the years to come.