Oliver Haslam·

New Foldable iPhone Patent Includes Touch-Sensitive Body

Apple continues to work on its first foldable iPhone, with a new patent suggesting that the company is keen to try something a little bit different.

A new patent awarded to Apple and spotted by CNBC shows an iPhone with a wraparound display, but that might not be the most interesting part.

That instead falls to sensors located around the device that would allow its chassis to act as a large touch-sensitive area.

Examples given for how that could be used include a volume control that would allow someone to slide their finger up or down in order to change how loud music is. It’s also possible that a virtual shutter button could be used to allow people to take photos without the need for a physical or even on-screen button.

The patent could be used on a foldable iPhone or iPad, wit the latter being something that has also been rumored in recent years. A foldable MacBook has also been rumored, with display analyst Ross Young suggesting that a 20-inch foldable Mac is very much in development.

However, it’s the foldable iPhone that a ton of people are actually waiting on, especially as the likes of Samsung continue to push the envelope with foldable devices of their own.

As for timescales, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously pointed at 2024 for the potential launch window for a foldable iPad of sorts, with a carbon fiber kickstand also included for easier media consumption.

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