A brand new supply-chain report reiterates earlier studies that some engineers beforehand engaged on Imaginative and prescient Professional have been moved to working a folding iPhone or iPad undertaking.

It additionally claims that the deliberate launch of a foldable iPhone has been delayed from 2026 to 2027, however that suppliers have been instructed to stay to their current schedules …

Current studies on a folding iPhone

A January report mentioned that show suppliers Samsung and LG have for a while been sending folding display samples to Apple, and that the most recent of those are within the 7-8 inch vary.

It nonetheless stays unclear whether or not Apple is prioritising a folding iPhone or a folding iPad, and certainly the diploma to which they is perhaps described as one and the identical. In our ballot, nearly all of you favored a tool the dimensions of an iPhone Professional which unfolds to a show the dimensions of an iPad mini.

One other report mentioned that Apple has no less than two “energetic” prototypes which fold like a clamshell, however was involved a few seen crease. A subsequent report made the unlikely declare that the undertaking has been shelved for now.

Imaginative and prescient Professional engineers, and 2027 date

Digitimes carries the most recent report, although cites one other Korean publication.

Based on Korea’s Alpha Biz, Apple higher-ups mentioned after contemplating the preparation for varied objects, together with foldable show provide, the launch of the foldable iPhone was adjusted from the fourth quarter of 2026 to the primary quarter of 2027.

Regardless of the delay, main element producers comparable to show suppliers are anticipated to proceed in response to the unique schedule […]

Current studies famous that Apple has undergone an inner personnel adjustment. Employees who beforehand labored on the Imaginative and prescient Professional had been allegedly despatched to work on foldable units as a substitute.

9to5Mac’s Take

It’s clear that Apple has to this point succeeded in protecting its work on this space fairly quiet, as all of the folding iPhone studies thus far include extra hypothesis than demonstrable truth – and this one isn’t any exception.

It will be no shock in any respect for some Imaginative and prescient Professional engineers to be moved from a product which has launched to a different which continues to be in improvement. Particularly, it will make excellent sense to reassign these adept at fixing issues which come up throughout the design, prototyping, and pre-production phases. This a lot, then, is sort of actually true.

As for dates, these fall squarely into the speculative field. Apple will do what it at all times does, and launch any new product as and when it feels it has solved the issues raised by new product classes, and has one thing it believes is best than current merchandise. To date, there isn’t a stable indication that any agency date has been set.

9to5Mac collage of photos by Mediamodifier on Unsplash and Sean Sinclair on Unsplash