Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated on Wednesday that Apple intends to manufacture a folding iPhone beginning next year
According to Kuo, Samsung Display will manufacture as many as eight million foldable panels for Apple’s folding phone next year. On the other hand, Kuo stated that the hinge of the device has not yet been finalized. He anticipates that it will feature “premium pricing.”
Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, concentrates on the Asian electronics supply chain and frequently discusses Apple products before their release.
In a post on the social media platform X, he stated that Apple’s plans for the foldable iPhone are not yet finalized and are subject to change. Apple declined to respond to CNBC’s inquiry.
The iPhone is the company’s most profitable product, accounting for $201 billion in revenues in the fiscal year 2024. It accounts for over half of Apple’s business.
However, the iPhone’s revenue peaked in 2022, and Apple is perpetually seeking methods to persuade its existing consumers to upgrade to more expensive devices and attract new ones.
Since 2019, numerous competitors of Apple, such as Samsung and Huawei, have introduced foldable smartphones.
The devices are designed to be compact and can be stowed in pants pockets while still offering the same screen size as a tablet. However, foldable phones continue to experience hardware complications, such as display creases that develop during folding.
Additionally, folding phones have yet to demonstrate that they generate substantial demand after the novelty has dissipated.
Last year, TrendForce, a research firm, reported that only 1.5% of all smartphones sold were capable of folding. Counterpoint, an additional research firm that monitors smartphone sales, reported earlier this year that the folding market experienced a mere 3% growth in 2024 and is anticipated to contract in 2025.