Apple has long been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone, but so far, any concrete evidence or a reputable report regarding those plans has yet to surface online. That changes now. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has developed prototype foldable screens for testing them internally. However, progress on the ambitious project is still limited to the screen stage, and the company doesn’t have a working prototype of a foldable iPhone yet.
Apple doesn't have a working prototype of a foldable iPhone in its lab yet
Citing sources familiar with the latest developments, Gurman notes that Apple is discussing the screen size for its folding iPhone project, and one of the options on the table is a 6.7-inch panel. Going by the trend of book-style foldables such as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 that have a display ranging between 7-inch to 8-inches in size, it appears that Apple is experimenting with a clamshell form factor. Samsung already has launched two foldable devices with a similar approach – the Galaxy Z Flip and its 5G variant. However, talks about the exact form factor of a folding iPhone is still purely speculative at this stage.
Apple is considering in-screen fingerprint sensor, but won’t kill Face ID
The report also sheds some light on Apple’s 2021 iPhone plans. It appears that Apple won’t make any major internal changes to its upcoming smartphones, save for one. The company is reportedly testing in-display fingerprint sensors for the 2021 iPhone line-up, a feature that has popped up in rumors on multiple occasions in the past. However, the company won’t kill the Face ID system in favor of an in-display fingerprint sensor for authentication, as the former is crucial for some camera tricks as Animoji and Memoji.
Face ID doesn't play ball with masks, but an in-screen fingerprint sensor works
To recall, Apple received some criticism following the debut of the iPhone 12 line-up, as Face ID is not of much use in times when wearing masks is mandatory and a life-saving habit. Many demanded a return of the physical fingerprint sensor, and Apple partially obliged – but instead of making its way to an iPhone, the company added a side-mounted fingerprint sensor to the 2020 iPad Air.