A new report from a Taiwanese publication claims that at least two foldable iPhone prototypes have passed Apple’s internal durability tests. The tests of the hinge system of the folding iPhones were conducted at a Foxconn factory in Shenzhen, China.

Of the two folding iPhone prototypes that Apple is testing, only one has a folding display which seemingly has a clamshell design similar to the Motorola RAZR and the Galaxy Z Flip. It uses flexible OLED panels supplied by Samsung. The other prototype has dual-screens that are joined together using a hinge similar to the LG G8x. Leaker Jon Prosser had also previously detailed a folding iPhone prototype using dual-screens that are connected by a hinge. The form factor of the dual-display folding iPhone is not clear.

Apple is still running all its tests on the two folding iPhone prototypes. After it has conducted all the tests, it will decide on which model to go forward with. There’s no clear word on when Apple will get around to launching its first foldable iPhone as its development cycle and schedule inside the company has not yet been finalized.

EDN does not really have an accurate track record when it comes to Apple leaks so one must also take this report with a pinch of salt.

Our Take

If Apple indeed ends up launching an iPhone with a flexible display, its hinge design would be interesting to see. This is because to prevent creases on the flexible display, the company could need to come up with an innovative hinge design. Nonetheless, it is still early days for Apple with its folding iPhone prototypes and by the time the company launches the final product, a lot could change.

Apple has never been the first to the market with a technology that’s yet to mature and given the teething troubles of folding phones, it is unlikely that we are going to see a folding iPhone launch to the public anytime before 2023-2024.