Around 2020, then Apple CEO Tim Cook returned from a trip to Asia strangely enthusiastic about foldable phones. During visits to China and other countries in the region, Cook saw a growing number of consumers using foldable devices from Samsung, Huawei, and other manufacturers. He returned convinced that Apple needed to have its own model and pressed the company to accelerate efforts in this product category.
Apple's efforts with foldable technology began well before Samsung launched the first Galaxy Fold in 2019. The company's secretive technology development teams, linked to the hardware engineering organization, had been studying foldable phones, screens, and components for years, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Apple's new foldable device is expected to cost around $2,000. Most sources interviewed for the report requested anonymity because the work was confidential.
