While companies like Samsung have been increasingly investing in foldable devices, Apple is yet to announce any products in this category. There’s no sign that the Cupertino-based company will announce a foldable phone in the short term, but Samsung reportedly expects Apple to introduce a foldable tablet by 2024.
Apple’s first foldable device might not be a phone
The news comes from The Elec (via BGR), which reportedly heard from sources that Samsung’s mobile division had a meeting with suppliers last month to discuss the smartphone market. Among the discussions, representatives from the South Korean company allegedly said that they expect Apple to announce its first foldable device in two years.
Interestingly, at least according to Samsung, Apple’s first foldable device won’t be a phone. Instead, the company believes that Apple will enter this segment with a foldable tablet or laptop.
CCS Insight corroborates these rumors. In a report shared last month, the research company claimed that launching a foldable iPhone would be super risky at this point, and that it would make more sense for Apple to experiment with this technology in a new iPad. It’s unclear how much this product would cost, but analysts believe that a foldable Apple device might hit stores with a price tag of $2,500.
In the same meeting with investors, Samsung reportedly said that the foldable smartphone market is expected to grow 80% by 2025. The South Korean company also said that 90% of foldable smartphone users are convinced to buy another foldable device in the future.
The foldable smartphone market
Top comment by Gazoobee
"... the company believes that Apple will enter this segment with a foldable tablet or laptop."
Wow. A laptop that folds in the middle. That could be revolutionary! :-)
Earlier this year, Samsung executive TM Roh confirmed that about 10 million foldable smartphones shipped in 2021. While the number is still small compared to the overall smartphone market, the foldable category grew more than 300% from 2020. Currently, over 70% of the foldable device market is dominated by Samsung with Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip.
It’s no surprise that Apple has been following a more conservative approach when it comes to the iPhone. Due to the large number of devices the company ships each year, Apple would likely face several supply issues with the launch of a foldable phone, since this technology is still limited and more expensive.
There are rumors suggesting that Apple has been experimenting with foldable devices based on iPhones and iPads, but for now, these are all early prototypes far from becoming final products.
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