Patents Reveal Apple Could Be Working on Clamshell Foldable With an Interesting Hinge Design: Report

Apple’s foldable iPhone could still be several years away from launch

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 6 May 2024 14:46 IST

Patents Reveal Apple Could Be Working on Clamshell Foldable With an Interesting Hinge Design: Report

Motorola currently offers one of the most radical designs we have seen with flip phones.

Highlights

Apple’s patent filing reveal a very complex hinge design
The company has steered clear of foldable devices till date
Recent rumours pointed towards a foldable iPad instead

Compared to what other smartphone brands have on offer, Apple seems to be far behind the competition when it comes to foldables. The Cupertino giant has yet to launch or even showcase its first ever foldable device with a folding display while other brands have at least one foldable model in their existing lineup of smartphones. Recent rumours have pointed out that Apple is working on bigger foldable devices, with the latest report pointing towards the development of a foldable MacBook laptop with a 20-inch display. A more recent report pointed out that Apple's iPhone has been delayed to 2027 and even goes on to claim that Vision Pro staff have now been directed to work on the foldable device instead. Now, an older patent which was filed last year, has been published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), suggesting that Apple is indeed working on clamshell foldable designs.

The patent (US 20240147644 A1) was filed in October last year and was published by the USPTO on May 2, 2024. According to a report by Patently Apple, which was the first to bring these details to light, Apple has a very interesting hinge design for what seems to be meant for a smaller or compact foldable, which in Apple's case could be a Plus or a Max-sized iPhone or an iPad Mini. To make things crystal clear, Apple does refer to the device in question as something that could be a cellular phone, a computer, or a portable electronic device.

Samsung Wins Patent for a Tri-Fold Smartphone With Specialised Barrier Layer for Improved Durability

Every foldable device in existence today relies on a reliable hinge mechanism and a foldable display. Apple's designs appear to be similar to what most smartphone manufacturers have currently achieved with their foldables. This would include the two halves of the chassis held together by synchronised gear plates with interlocked teeth to guide the opening and closing mechanism and protect the inner folding display. The foldable device according to the diagrams seems to be held together using interconnected links (like the metal links of a metal watch bracelet) with restricting rotation. The mechanism in these interconnecting links seems to be far more complex compared to what most manufacturers have in place today.

A quick glance also shows that Apple's hinge design due to its complexity does seem substantially thicker than what's available on most foldable smartphones today. And given how thick it seems from the patent's diagrams, it could indeed make more sense in a foldable iPad than in an iPhone, which points back at older rumours about Apple working on a foldable iPad instead of a foldable iPhone.

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra Review: A Razr for Gen-Z?

Designing a hinge for a larger tablet or even a laptop would also reduce Apple's challenges compared to designing one for an iPhone as most tablets and computers don't require stricter IP ratings, which some manufacturers have only partially struggled with so far. Samsung's currently available Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Review) for example offers an IPX8 rating (which offers minimal protection against dust and debris) while its regular smartphones offer a proper IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Motorola Razr 40 Ultra

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Premium and compact design, IP52 rating
Vibrant pOLED folding display
Large and functional cover display
Good for gaming
Fluid software
Good daylight camera performance

Bad
Heats up with camera use
Slow wireless charging
Recorded video quality is average

Read detailed Motorola Razr 40 Ultra review

Display (Primary) 6.90-inch

Front Camera 32-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 13-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB

Battery Capacity 3800mAh

OS Android 13

Resolution 1080x2640 pixels

More Motorola mobiles Motorola mobiles price in India

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Very good build quality, IPX8 rated
Well-optimised software
Very good system and gaming performance
All-day battery life
Reliable cameras

Bad
Expensive
Still feels bulky

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review

Display (Primary) 7.60-inch

Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Front Camera 10-megapixel + 4-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Battery Capacity 4400mAh

OS Android 13

Resolution 2176x1812 pixels

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Vibrant displays, folding display is durable
Compact design when folded
Top-tier performance
Fast wireless charging for a foldable
Water-resistant design
Good quality primary camera

Bad
Cover screen functionality is limited
Battery barely lasts a day
Relatively slow wired charging
No macro camera

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review

Display (Primary) 6.70-inch

Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Front Camera 10-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

Battery Capacity 3700mAh

OS Android 13

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Further reading: Apple, Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, Foldable iPhone, Foldable iPad, Apple Foldable

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More