Patently According to Apple's findings, Apple has patented a hinge that will be a key component of the iPhone Flip.

The patent, plainly named "Hinge for Folding Devices," filed with the USPTO in October 2023 and published in May 2024, includes, as one might imagine, various demonstrations of how to implement a hinge so that the phone can be folded in half. Its claims and illustrations show an iPhone-type device with a hinge mechanism and flexible screen that folds vertically like Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 and other small foldables.

The patent mentions that the hinge can bend outward or inward. Most foldables fold inward to protect the display when closed, and Apple is expected to adopt that as well. However, some manufacturers, like Honor's V Purse, continue to use a style that keeps the display on the outside.

As for the hinge construction, it is possible that parts described as "synchroplates" or "friction clips" will be used to make the folding action as fluid and integrated as possible. It has also been shown to use multiple links to provide a gently curved well for the display to fit into, which is important to minimize the display grooves that are a trademark of the folding system.

Patently Apple also found a continuation patent (updating an existing application) for a "foldable display device with curved side walls that can include a touch surface" first made in 2016 during a recent search of Apple patents. In short, a larger folding device with the potential to add a touchscreen to the outer edge.

Apple's first foldable may be more like a cross between a MacBook and an iPad than an iPhone, but all the signs are there that the company plans to enter the foldable space in the next few years. Rivals have already established foldable products, but Apple's unique approach to consumer technology and its huge base of loyal fans means that the first foldable iPhone, iPad, and Mac will be successful.

The next Apple event is "Let Loose" on May 7, which is expected to be about the new OLED iPad Pro, not folding technology. Apple's presentation is also expected at WWDC 2024 this summer and will likely take place in September, but the iPhone Flip and other foldable Apple products will still have to wait quite a while, even if the company has secured key patents.