Rumour: Apple commissioned LG to design flagship foldable iPhone

LG G8X ThinQ Dual Screen
(Image credit: LG)

Apple's rumoured foldable iPhone may be designed by LG to produce an OLED foldable panel, meaning a certain recent prediction may actually be right.

As reported by Taiwan media outlet Digitimes, industry sources have claimed that Apple recently commissioned LG Display to develop a foldable panel, all to pave the way for the launch of a new flagship iPhone. As LG Display is known for mass-producing OLEDs and flexible displays, all signs are pointing towards a 7-inch foldable OLED smartphone in 2023. 

Not to be confused with LG Smartphones, who may or may not be releasing the hyped LG rollable phone seen at CES 2021, LG Display has been rumoured to be working on the foldable iPhone for a while now, although it was initially slated to released back in 2020 (via GSMArena). Well, that didn't happen.

If production of the new foldable iPhone is only just starting, it could be a while until anyone gets their hands on it. However, Chinese investment research firm EqualOcean believes we'll see the new flagship phone around 2023, which certainly gives LG time to design the device.

The question is, will it be a 'flip' or 'fold'? According to a recent patent Apple has been granted, we can expect a clamshell-style iPhone in the same vain as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

Regardless, the foldable iPhone is in its very early stages, so it may turn into an entirely different device altogether by the time its slated to come out in 2023. In the meantime, we have plenty more foldable devices to look forward to this year, most notably the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.