The first foldable iPhone has already been released: it was created by funs

While Samsung, Motorola and other Android smartphone manufacturers have already introduced foldable smartphone concepts, Apple still shows little interest in foldable iPhones. But the first foldable iPhone has already been released: it was created by amateur craftsmen from the YouTube channel KJMX. The craftsmen have appropriately modified the iPhone X.

Folding iPhone: iPhone X with a Motorola Razr hinge

The 2017 iPhone X was used as the basis for the foldable device, which attempted to retain as many of the original components as possible. One of the most difficult tasks of the experiment, which lasted more than 200 days, was to remove the protective glass from the iPhone X display panel without damaging it.

The flexible P-OLED is already installed as the display panel of the iPhone X itself, which is also mostly used in foldable devices. As the youtuber notes in the video, the successful extraction of the OLED panel only succeeded after the 37th attempt.

To turn the iPhone X into a foldable smartphone, the youtuber also tested components of other foldable smartphones. First, he tried the Samsung Galaxy Flip hinge, which did not meet the requirements. In the end, the wizard used the 2020 Motorola Razr 5G hinge.

The foldable iPhone X is by no means suitable for everyday use

The result of the redesign is a foldable iPhone, but it is more of a laboratory experiment than a device suitable for everyday use. The hobbyist, who calls the prototype version 0.1, also knows this.

In order for this craftsman to be able to assemble the gadget, he had to make a few compromises. The device has a tiny battery with a capacity of only 1000 mAh, which is about a third of the capacity of the iPhone X. The developer has also removed the speakers and all wireless charging components.

After all, the touch display still works fine, and iOS appears to function without problems. However, the user interface has been adapted by means of a jailbreak, so that it better harmonizes with the folded display.

Apple's first foldable device will not be an iPhone

Even though some users seem to want a foldable iPhone so badly that they make one themselves, there are signs that Apple's first foldable device will not be a smartphone at all.

Rumors have been circulating for months that Apple is working on a foldable iPad or Macbook and may bring related devices to market by 2025. Both Samsung and analysts Ben Wood of CCS Insight and Apple insider Mark Gurman expect a larger foldable device, but not a smartphone.