Forget foldable screens, Apple is working on stretchable displays. New research suggests the future "iPhone Fold" could have a stretchable display on the outside, rather than one that just folds.
Apple is lagging behind other smartphone makers in that it doesn't have an iPhone Fold yet. However, the company is working tirelessly on it and reportedly already has some prototypes in development. There are also a number of other devices that could benefit from a more flexible screen than usual. It has already been reported that a foldable iPad could replace the iPad mini in 2026. Additionally, Apple is considering making a foldable MacBook Pro. A recently published patent application shows that Apple is thinking hard about a stretchable display.
The patent application: “Stretchable Display”
The patent application, titled "Stretchable Display," is attributed to an extraordinary number of inventors. Instead of the usual number of 1 to 10 inventors, this patent application names 55 individuals. These inventors are primarily located in California or Taiwan, where Apple maintains a research center. The patent application contains only 13 images and 22 pages describing the specifics of a display with "a stretchable part with hermetically sealed rigid pixel islands." However, the entire patent application contains few examples of how stretchable displays could be used.
Possible areas of application
There are some suggestions as to how Apple could extend the patent to all sorts of devices. The patent application refers to "a laptop computer... a mobile phone..." or any of more than a dozen different devices. Among those devices, reference is made to "a smaller device such as a wristwatch, pendant, earphone or earbud, a device incorporated into eyeglasses or other device worn on the user's head, or other portable or miniature device."
Larger displays and future applications
However, there are also larger displays that could be "mounted in a kiosk or a car," for example. As always, the purpose of the patent is to describe how something can be done, rather than what could then be done with the technology. A stretchable display could be of greater use in many use cases than a foldable one. For example, a future iPhone could have a stretchable display on the outside, offering additional features and flexibility. There have also long been rumors of a HomePod with a screen. It is widely believed that the HomePod will have a square design, rather than the current cylinder, but Apple has already looked into a display that would effectively wrap around the device. Similarly, this stretchable display technology could fulfill another of Apple's known goals. In 2023, Apple was revealed to be working on an Apple Watch screen that wraps completely around the wrist.
Apple Patents: Visionary Ideas or Coming Reality?
It's important to note that this is currently just a patent application. Apple files thousands of patents every year, and not all of them are granted. Even if Apple is granted a patent, it's no guarantee that the proposals will ever be implemented in a product. However, the idea of a stretchable display shows that Apple is always working on innovative technologies that could revolutionize the way we use our devices. Stay tuned for what the future holds, as Apple could soon introduce the next big innovation in the world of mobile devices. (Photo by Unsplash / Sumudu Mohottige)
