Apple's first foldable iPhone is said to resemble the Oppo Find N 2i934
foldable iPhone. Apple has yet to announce plans to launch a foldable phone, which is tipped to launch by the end of 2026.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo claims that Apple supplier┬аDongguan Yi'an Technology, a firm that is expected to supply components for the company's first foldable device, will benefit from the use of liquid metal on its bearings.┬аYi'an Technology is said to be the exclusive supplier of the material, which might be used on the core components of the folding device, which is said to be an iPhone.
According to the analyst, Apple will rely on┬аYi'an Technology for the liquid metal material, which will be used to enhance the folding smartphone's durability. It could also be used to minimise the presence of a crease on the inner screen.
Kuo claims that Yi'an Technology supplied Apple with over 10 million shafts, a component used in the hinge on the foldable phone, by the end of last year. The company is said to process the new component using die casting.
This isn't the first time that Apple has used a component made using liquid metal material. According to Kuo, the company's SIM ejector tool is also made using the same material. However, its use on the foldable iPhone, which is expected to arrive towards the end of 2024, could result in a major advantage for the Chinese supplier.
The analyst says that┬аYi'an Technology could see its revenue increase by up to 200 percent, based on the materials supplied for the foldable iPhone. It could generate revenue worth CNY 1.5 billion (roughly Rs. 1,780 crore) to 2 billion (roughly Rs. 2,370 crore).
According to recent first foldable next year, followed by a foldable MacBook and an iPad model.
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