Apple’s foldable iPhone is due to be released in the fall. Now there are new details about the hardware and software. However, many users will miss one feature in particular that has made Apple’s smartphone special for years.
Samsung unveiled the first Galaxy Fold back in 2019. More than seven years later, Apple is reportedly planning to unveil its own foldable. The foldable smartphone, previously known as the “iPhone Fold”, is due to be released next September. However, in addition to the new hardware, Apple must also adapt its software to the new format. Development work is therefore necessary to cater to the large internal display, which should resemble the dimensions of an iPad mini. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shed new details on the hardware and software.
iPhone Fold: iOS is Here to Stay
At first glance, some Apple fans may have expected the iPhone manufacturer to simply fall back on the familiar iPadOS features when using the large inner display. According to Gurman, however, this will not be the case. The new interface introduced in iPadOS 26, which allows multiple app windows to be displayed, will be unavailable on the foldable smartphone.
iPad apps will also not run on the iPhone. However, it should be possible to launch two iPhone apps side-by-side. This is similar to the features offered by Samsung, Google, and other foldable device manufacturers.
Apple is working on some adjustments when designing its own apps. According to Gurman, the layout of the applications will be expanded to include a sidebar on the left side of the display. iPad users are already familiar with this design from many tablet apps. Third-party developers can also use this layout in their apps. In many ways, the design is reminiscent of an iPad mini used in landscape format.
Hardware in Apple’s First Foldable
In addition to software details, Gurman also mentioned the technical specifications of the iPhone Fold. During the development phase, Apple is said to have discovered that two of the most important weaknesses of foldable smartphones were connected to the internal display: It is often too narrow and sports a visible crease in the middle.
Both shortcomings have already been discussed. Earlier reports stated Apple, in cooperation with Samsung Display, has found a new way to reduce the crease significantly. Gurman described this solution as not perfect, but still good enough to possibly give the company a marketing advantage.
iPhone Fold: Bid Farewell to Face ID
The outer display is also said to only feature a single punch-hole for the selfie camera. The pill-shaped cut-out, as we know it from the current iPhone, would be consigned to history.
This also brings us to the change that will cause a lot of (possibly heated) discussion: Face ID will no longer be present. Instead, Apple will use Touch ID in the side button on the upcoming smartphone. The reason? The chassis is too thin. However, the Dynamic Island software features are still on board.
A punch-hole is also used for the camera in the inner display. Apple is also said to have tested an under-display camera during development, but the quality was not good enough.
According to Gurman, there will only be two cameras at the back of the iPhone Fold. The two current Pro models, on the other hand, use three sensors. Due in part to the large internal display, which enables better productivity features, Apple nevertheless sees the Foldable as a new high-end model above the Pro Max. This is also reflected in the expected recommended retail price of around $2,000.
Deixe um comentário