Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in on Apple’s foldable iPhone plans, saying the company will introduce one in 2023.
Foldable phones are the next big evolution of modern smartphone design. Foldable designs promise to deliver current screen sizes in smaller packages, or much larger, tablet-size screens in phones that are comparable to current phones when folded.
Several companies, such as Samsung, have tried to make foldable phones, but have had issues with them being as durable as necessary. Others, like Microsoft, have opted for a dual-screen design, joined with a hinge. It’s unclear what approach Apple will take, although the company is well-known for arriving late to the party with designs that improve on the existing offerings of other companies. Many believe the iPhone maker may be able to leverage its hardware design expertise to deliver an unrivaled foldable experience.
According to Kuo, via 9to5Mac, Apple is expected to sell 15 to 20 million foldable iPhones in 2023. Kuo believes the phone will have an 8-inch screen.
At present, the product position of foldable smartphones is mainly to integrate the smartphone and tablet. But we believe that the foldable smartphone is only one of the applications of the foldable design. We predict that foldable devices will blur the product segmentations between smartphones, tablets, and laptops in the future. With its cross-product ecosystems and hardware design advantages, Apple will be the biggest winner in the new foldable device trend.