It has been known that Apple has been working on a foldable iPhone for a while. Last October, the company filed for a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO has now published a patent application that reveals the key features of Apple’s foldable device hinge.

The company’s first foldable iPhone looks set to be a foldable device similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Flip series. Apple’s hinge mechanism is said to offer “more range of motion.”

Figure 1 shows a complex Apple device that the company says is a mobile phone, computer, or other portable electronic device. This way, Apple can make it work on other devices besides the foldable iPad, such as foldable iPhones. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expected the foldable iPad-MacBook hybrid to enter mass production in 2027.

Figure 2 is a side view of part of an illustrative electronic device having a hinge with connections. According to the company, the screen can be folded in both directions (inwards and outwards) using this hinge design. While this is a one-of-a-kind device in the market, the company has not confirmed that it will happen anytime soon.

Patent images show that the company’s advanced devices will feature gear synchronization plates with interlocking teeth. This will provide “synchronized rotational motion between the left and right hinge halves.” A hinge may have several interconnected points that can be connected together for rotational movement.

However, you should not forget that companies, including Apple, apply for many patents for every technology they work on. However, only a few of them can reach the final product. Therefore, there is almost no guarantee that a foldable iPhone or other Apple device with special technologies will hit the shelves.