Apple analyst predicts an 8-inch foldable iPhone to launch in 2023

• Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, says Apple will launch its foldable iPhone in 2023.
  
• The iPhone is said to have an 8-inch QHD+ flexible OLED display.
  
• Kuo also expects Apple to adopt a fancy "silver nanowire" touchscreen.
  

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a famous analyst, tech giant Apple is working on its foldable iPhone with an 8-inch QHD+ flexible OLED display.

The prediction was seen in a note to investors that Apple may be planning to launch the foldable iPhone in 2023. As per website MacRumors, Kuo estimates that the company expects to sell 15-20 million folding units in 2023 “based on Apple’s requested capacity plan.”

Kuo also expects Apple to adopt a fancy "silver nanowire" touch screen because existing capacitive technology isn't compatible with more than one fold and rollable designs. This means the Cupertino-based tech giant might opt for something that folds more than once unlike the current implementation on foldable phones. This doesn't come as a surprise as Apple is known for doing things differently, as seen with its circuits, Face ID technology and so on.

Kuo's previous predictions have been quite reliable. He's made several Apple predictions that have come true, after years. If he gets this prediction on point, it would be interesting to see how Apple could attract users to switch to a foldable iPhone. As of now, Samsung has made a somewhat practically usable foldable phone -- the Galaxy Fold 2 -- but it's still a thing for early adopters and enthusiasts.

Apple has dropped hints on its foldable iPhone plans in the recent past. In July last year, a new Apple patent was spotted revealing a glimpse of how the company may approach foldable phones. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple has begun internal testing on foldable screen prototypes for iPhones.

Foldable displays have been used in flip phones like Samsung Galaxy Flip, the new Moto Razr, the Galaxy Fold and Fold 2, but the current models are the first generations of these products and they come with durability concerns. Not just that, like most first-gen tech the prices are exorbitantly high, making them a less practical choice for the masses.

But since it's Apple, there's a possibility that we might see a refined product. The other likeliness will be of a premium price point, as Apple non-foldable iPhones right now are among the most expensive smartphones. Since the foldable phones will need a new assembly line, expensive components and trickier engineering prowess, it might be the costliest iPhone ever.

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