Gearbest Tech
[Mobile China]On the evening of October 18th, Beijing time, Apple updated its iPad product line and officially released the 10th generation iPad and 2022 iPad Pro. The starting prices of the new products are 3,599 yuan and 6,799 yuan respectively.
The new products have received widespread attention. The new iPad Pro includes 11-inch and 12.9-inch versions. It is equipped with an M2 chip, which is up to 15% faster than the M1, and supports the second-generation Apple Pencil hover function. The tenth-generation iPad adopts a full-screen design, equipped with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, and is equipped with an A14 bionic chip.
In addition to the launch of new products, other news about Apple iPad has also spread online recently.
Recently, the latest report from market research company CCS Insight stated that Apple may launch an iPad with a foldable screen in 2024 instead of launching a foldable iPhone first.
What exclusive technologies does Apple have?
In the past two years, foldable screen mobile phones have gradually entered consumers' horizons. Although Apple has not launched any folding screen products yet, this does not mean that Apple has not taken any action.
As we all know, with many “unique skills” and two core technologies of software and hardware, Apple is invincible in the market. In terms of folding screens, Apple is also concentrating on developing new technologies, and the pace of folding patent applications has never stopped.
As the name suggests, “folding screen” means that the screen of the product can be folded, and the crease problem of this type of product has always been a pain point in the industry. Apple has also noticed this.
Recently, a new Apple patent titled “Electronic Devices with Flexible Display Covers” was exposed. To put it simply, this may be Apple's “self-healing” technology.
Judging from the patent description, Apple’s new patent describes an electronic device that contains a hinge that can be bent and folded, which is what we know as a folding screen product. But the difference is that in order to weaken the crease problem in the hinge folding part, the display screen is covered with a layer of “self-healing” material, which can return to its original shape after stretching, and can also extend the life of the folding screen to a certain extent.
In addition, Apple has previously applied for a patent for a foldable device with a unique hinge mechanism. This patent shows the use of movable bezels to prevent creases or damage to the screen when folded.
fromAll of the aboveIt can be found thatApple is making adequate preparations for the launch of foldable screen products.
Why came out iPad first?
Looking at the entire mobile phone market, in recent years, major domestic and foreign mobile phone manufacturers have been keen to release folding screen mobile phones. In the product strategy, folding screen products are directly positioned as flagship products and impact the high-end mobile phone market. However, Apple, which is the leader in the mobile phone market, seems to want to be a maverick.
The industry pointed out that unlike Samsung and Huawei, which have launched folding screen phones, Apple may have prioritized the folding iPad.
Ben Wood, director of research at CCS Insight, said: “It doesn't make sense for Apple to make a foldable iPhone at the moment. We think they will avoid this trend and may test the waters with a foldable iPad.”
Ben Wood's speculation is not groundless. He said frankly: “The foldable iPhone will be a super high risk for Apple. In order not to impact the sales of existing iPhones, it will be very expensive.”
Specifically, the “ultra-high risk” he refers toIssues include the design, hardware and system experience, and pricing of Apple’s foldable iPhone. In other words, in the folding screen mobile phone market, Apple not only needs to launch folding screen products with the same user experience as the iPhone, but also needs a high-price positioning. In this way, Apple’s foldable screen phone will not be affected by anyAny technical issues that have been “crazily” attacked by some critics, without cannibalizing the sales of existing iPhone models, ensure that its products bloom in many aspects and firmly capture the high-end mobile phone market.
But Apple cannot choose to escape, because the trend of foldable devices on the market is getting stronger and stronger, and Apple has “no choice”. Therefore, the company is more likely to prioritize the launch of a foldable iPad than a foldable iPhone.
In this regard, Ben Wood said that this will give Apple an opportunity to learn to apply foldable screen technology and “inject new life” into the iPad series. For Apple, this may be a strategy that kills two birds with one stone.
Can we win the market in one fell swoop?
In this year's sluggish mobile phone consumer market, foldable screen mobile phones have shown significant growth. Nowadays, in the field of folding screens, majorMobile phone manufacturers are constantly exploring. In the first half of this year, many manufacturers including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, vivo, etc. have launched new folding screen products, enrichingOwn folding product matrix.
Market research firm Counterpoint Research pointed out that foldable screen mobile phones will be the fastest growing smartphone category this year. To put it more intuitively, statistics from the well-known data company IDC show that domestic folding screen mobile phone product shipments exceeded 1.1 million units in the first half of 2022, a year-on-year increase of approximately 70%.
Facing this market full of vitality and potential, Apple will certainly not remain indifferent. There is also a lot of news about the iPhone folding screen.
Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple may launch an iPhone with a folding screen as early as 2025. And this is not just one opinion. Market research company Display Supply Chain Consultants said that Apple will not enter the foldable smartphone market until 2025 at the earliest.
2025 is still a few years away. If Apple releases a folding screen iPhone at that time, compared with current technology, I believe Apple's folding screen technology will be relatively complete by then, and it will have greater confidence in new products. However, industry insiders predict that the foldable iPhone may be priced at around US$2,500, equivalent to about 18,099 yuan. For reference, the most expensive model currently launched by Apple, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, is priced at US$1,599. The price of the foldable iPhone may give many long-awaited Apple fans a slap in the face.
At present, most mobile phone manufacturers have launched their own brand of folding screen mobile phones, and manufacturers with earlier layouts have even developed a relatively complete product line; only Apple is still “standing still”. Perhaps Apple would have become a blockbuster if it didn't want to make a splash.
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