Analyst says Apple is foldable with secondary E Ink display

Apple is said to be testing using an E Ink color display as an external display for an unannounced foldable device, according to Famous analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. “EPD color [Electronic Paper Display] It has the potential to become a mainstream solution for foldable devices that have a second cover/screen thanks to its excellent power savings, the analyst wrote in a tweet. He adds that the E Ink display is also being tested in “tablet-like applications”.

Most foldable tablet-style devices on the market today pair a large foldable internal screen with a smaller external screen for quickly checking for notifications. But existing devices like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 or the Oppo Find Inn Use OLED panels for both. Apple’s use of an E Ink display would almost certainly make the external display less responsive with fewer colors, but, as Kuo notes, it could be more energy efficient.

Although E Ink is best known for its monochrome screens that Amazon uses for its Kindles, the company also has a range of color screens. Recently announced E-Ink Gallery 3A new version of color e-ink technology capable of producing more colors with higher accuracy. It can also refresh much faster than the company’s previous color screens, although it’s still nowhere near as responsive as an equivalent OLED or LCD panel. E Ink’s promotional videos show how the screen can be folded or rolled up.

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There have been persistent rumors that Apple is planning to join the likes of Samsung and Huawei in launching a foldable device. In 2021, reports emerged that Apple was folding screens prototyping internally, as of April of this year Kuo had predicted that Apple could release a 9-inch foldable screen device in 2025 at the earliest. Bloomberg I also mentioned That Apple could have an additional device with a larger 20-inch foldable screen in the works, although it won’t be eligible for release before 2026. Kuo’s latest forecast didn’t mention the size of the foldable device with an E Ink screen.

Although Apple will be late in entering the foldable market, it has a sweet spot in the form of iPadOS, the tablet operating system that features solid support for apps from third-party developers. In contrast, foldable tablet-sized devices from the likes of Samsung, Oppo, Huawei and Honor must rely on Android, whose apps offer inconsistent support for large-screen devices (Google recently announced that they Hoping to change this).

Apple’s foldable device will likely remain years away. But Kuo’s latest update presents an interesting possibility about which direction Apple may be headed.

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