iPhone V is a working foldable iPhone prototype
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The first iPhone fold may not be ready for a couple of more years, but we might be lucky to get an idea of what it could look like, at least in a modified form. A YouTube channel from China managed to transform an iPhone X into a folding clamshell device with the working product being dubbed "iPhone V".
TL;DR
- First foldable iPhone prototype assembled by a third party in China.
- The prototype is a modified iPhone X with parts from Motorola Razr.
- Apple's iPhone Fold is not expected until 2025.
iPhones are known to have the lowest hardware repairability among premium smartphones in the market. Even changing the Lightning port, as another YouTuber did, took laborious steps before it became fully functional. So much more when you're trying to modify the entire device and its OS, which is similar to what this Chinese duo has impressively achieved.
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Building the first foldable iPhone
The video shows how the iPhone X was disassembled to source the components out from it and then rearranged to fit on a new foldable build using the chassis of the Morotola Razr. Crucially, they used the OLED display of the iPhone X, but it took them more than a dozen times to perfectly split the needed bendable screen component.
Besides the hardware transformation, the team also slightly converted the iOS for it to work on a clamshell form. Moreover, the iPhone V has a few software functions to complement its design like split screen and flex mode when taking photos using the selfie camera.
Constructing the first folding iPhone is a ridiculously hard and expensive project. According to the channel, the materials alone cost upward of $10,000 which does not include labor. It also took them almost a year to complete a prototype.
When is the iPhone Fold launching
As for the official Apple iPhone "Fold", the Cupertino company is not expected to introduce its foldable handset in 2025. If credible sources and reports are to be believed, the iPad "Fold" should arrive first sometime in 2024.
What are your thoughts on this iPhone V prototype? Do you think Apple would deliver a clamshell iPhone first?
Source: YouTube
