The development of the folding iPhone (iPhone Fold) seems to continue as a recently discovered patent shows that Apple is looking for a better way to protect its device when dropped.
According to Techradar , available on the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the patent is entitled “Self-shrink display device and screen protector technique using feature detection drop” is quite verbose but briefly describes how Apple might target it to minimize damage to the iPhone Fold’s screen in the future. The description suggests that the device will have some kind of internal sensor such as an accelerometer. If it detects that the iPhone is falling, the sensor will signal an “electronic latch mechanism” to quickly close the phone.
The app suggests the mechanism might not close completely if the iPhone is too close to the ground, meaning it’s still partially open. However, that’s okay because the patent shows that “even when folding the screen down to an angle of more than 180 degrees, it can still be protected”. At the very least, the force will be on the sides instead of directly on the screen.
Another angle that Apple is considering in the patent is the hinge. The iPhone Fold could include two separate screens that connect when the device is unfolded instead of the usual hinge in the middle. So when the phone is closed, the top screen separates itself from the bottom to aid in protection. It’s hard to say for sure because the documentation doesn’t describe exactly how things should work.
Much of the patent document talks about the capabilities of the iPhone Fold. For example, the sensor behind a fall protection system might include an “accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and other components” to detect motion. However, Apple does not directly indicate any specific technology. Most important to the company are internal mechanisms that can detect when the drop rate “exceeds a predetermined threshold” to automatically close. It remains to be seen whether the device will actually register the drop fast enough to fully close.
Rumors of a foldable iPhone have been circulating on the internet for about 3 years now. Around this time, various leaked patents also appeared showing a change in Apple’s design. One design “has two hinges for three hypothetical screens” that allows the phone to fold in a Z shape, while another patent suggests that Apple wants to implement an e-paper display into the product.
However, users still need a little more time to see the arrival of the iPhone Fold as the latest leaks indicate that the product will be released in 2025 at the earliest.