Apple's Foldable iPhone Prototype Allegedly Features Separate Display Panels Connected by Hinge

Apple is working on a foldable iPhone prototype that features two separate display panels that are connected by a hinge rather than a single display like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, according to leaker Jon Prosser who shared the info in a tweet and a YouTube interview shared by Jon Rettinger.

Hinged iPhone 2020 Feature

A mockup of an ‌iPhone‌ that has two displays and a hinge

Prosser says that the foldable ‌iPhone‌ has rounded, stainless steel edges like the current ‌iPhone‌ 11 and no notch, but a "tiny forehead" on the outer display for Face ID.


Though the ‌iPhone‌ features two separate displays connected by a hinge, Prosser claims that the panels look "fairly continuous and seamless."

galaxy fold kv device

Samsung's Galaxy Fold

Samsung's foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, is designed as a single display with a fold in the middle that allows it to open and close. Prosser believes that Apple's version that's in the works looks more similar to Microsoft's Surface Neo and Surface Duo, both of which are foldable dual display devices that feature two displays connected with a hinge.

microsoftsurfaceneoduo

Microsoft's Surface Neo and Duo

There's no word on when Apple might develop a foldable ‌iPhone‌, but there have been rumors about work on such a device dating back to 2016, as well as a number of patents. A March 2020 patent described a device that featured two separate displays that could be brought together to create a single bendable device with a hinge.

apple patent bendable device separate displays
It's not clear if the foldable ‌iPhone‌ will ever move out of a prototyping stage, but it doesn't look like a foldable device is launching in the near future. More information on Apple's alleged work on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ can be found in our guide.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...

Top Rated Comments

JPack Avatar
64 months ago
For people that don't understand folding phones, the idea is pretty simple.

You get a bigger screen in a smaller form factor. It's extremely inefficient to scale up the body of an iPhone just to match the display size.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
64 months ago

For people that don't understand folding phones, the idea is pretty simple.

You get a bigger screen in a smaller form factor. It's extremely inefficient to scale up the body of an iPhone just to match the display size.
With a thicker, heavier, less durable device.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
moabal Avatar
64 months ago
What would even be the point of this? I have thought long and hard about these foldable phones/tablets and I do not see how it helps anyone other than a niche group of people.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
64 months ago
You know, I visualized what this would be like in my mind just now, and HAVING to unfold my phone each time, man this does not conform to the way I use my phone, I will pass and just keep using a BIG phone like the iphone 12 pro max and my ipad pro for bigger work that I need to get done.

And Glasses. give me my apple glasses.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dazz87 Avatar
64 months ago
Foldable phone? Why?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kemal Avatar
64 months ago
Because Apple need a phone in the $3000 range.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)