Two folding iPhone prototypes are reportedly in preparation at Apple. Doubts remain about the durability of the screen and a flagship feature that could justify the purchase of the device.

The folding iPhone is a sea serpent that regularly returns to the forefront. This time, it is the serious media The Information which puts a part back in the machine, evoking the development of at least two prototypes of such a device.

The durability of the screen in question

Citing a source close to the matter, the author of the article indicates that Apple is still far from having resolved all the design issues inherent to this type of terminal. A folding iPhone won’t hit the market until 2026, at the earliest.

Apple has reportedly contacted at least one component supplier for two folding screen iPhones of different sizes. However, it is not yet certain that one of these two prototypes will materialize into a product distributed to the general public.

If projects fail to meet Apple’s quality standards, they will be canceled. For the moment, the main challenge encountered by the Apple brand’s engineers is to ensure a folding screen that is durable, and whose fold marks are not too marked.

No killer app for the folding iPhone yet

Several patent applications relating to a folding device have been filed by Apple in recent years. According to The Information, Tim Cook was considering a folding iPhone as early as 2018. The Apple teams then set up a demonstration for a device with a 7-inch foldable screen.

Beyond the design, Apple would also question the relevance of launching such a product in terms of costs and interest for consumers. The American firm has not yet found the flagship function that would justify the massive purchase of a folding iPhone, necessarily more expensive than a standard model.

Recently, reports mentioned a folding iPad rather than a folding iPhone. It appears that Apple is seriously exploring both avenues.