According to a report based on supply-chain sources from the Chinese technology newspaper DigiTimes – which in the past has been noted for its rather mixed reliability – Apple has signed a new contract with LG to supply a foldable iPhone display.
The arrangement is still at an early stage, however: most likely the firms are still working on research and development.
There have been rumours for years that Apple is working on a folding iPhone. Recently, however, reports have suggested that Samsung would be providing foldable OLED displays for the project.
The frequency of reports on the subject shows that the manufacturer is giving the subject serious consideration.
Apple will be looking to benefit from the expertise of its suppliers, such as LG and Samsung, but is also working to develop its own technologies to solve existing problems with foldable smartphones.
With its own devices Samsung has shown that folding phones can work in principle, but where they still tend to fail is in the sustainability of the display – Samsung’s first attempt on the market showed cracks very quickly in testing, with the cover film peeling off and dust getting under the top layer. Apparently, the manufacturer has eliminated the teething problems with the second generation.
Catch up on the latest rumours in our foldable iPhone news hub. If you’d like to buy a new handset before the, check out our roundup of the best iPhone deals to catch the latest bargains.
This article originally appeared on Macwelt. Translation by David Price.