Revealed the launch date of the folding screen iPhone
iPhone launch events are usually held on the first Tuesday or Wednesday after Labor Day in the US (first Monday in September). This gives Apple enough time to sell new phone models in mid-September.
This is also considered a suitable time for Apple from a financial perspective. The launch of the new product in mid-September helped new iPhone sales count toward the company's fourth-quarter financial results. Besides, it also helps Apple have time to prepare goods for the year-end shopping festival.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the folding screen iPhone and the iPhone 18 Pro duo will be introduced by Apple on September 8. The next backup plan may be September 9.
Supply chain sources said Samsung Display has begun operating part of its production line in Vietnam to fulfill an initial order of about 3 million panels. It is expected that the order will be delivered this year.
Approval for display manufacturing requires the supplier to demonstrate final assembly quality and consistency of mass production. Apple requires a productivity rate of at least 70%. Samsung Display is said to have overcome that barrier by achieving a final yield rate of over 80%.
According to reports, Samsung Display is the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for foldable iPhones under a 3-year agreement. This means Apple will not import folding OLED panels from any other screen manufacturer during this period.
These panels are expected to use Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) technology, along with Samsung Display's latest M16 OLED material set. The M16 material structure promises improvements in brightness, color performance, longevity and energy efficiency compared to previous generations.
According to MacRumors, the folding iPhone will have a screen of about 7.8 inches when unfolded. This size is equivalent to the screen on the iPad mini model. The selfie camera will be placed in the upper left corner of the screen.
Meanwhile, the device's external screen is 5.5 inches in size. This screen has a shorter and more square ratio than current iPhones. This design is similar to the design of a passport.
Previously leaked information confirmed that the device will not support the Face ID facial recognition system. Instead, the device integrates Touch ID fingerprint recognition through the side button to unlock the device and use Apple Pay.