Ming-Chi Kuo is one of the few Apple analysts whose reports always warrant a second look, no matter how strange they seem at first glance. We’ve heard a lot of reports that the company is testing its own version of a foldable device, in the usual style of being fashionably late to the party, while also being the best dressed there.
It goes without saying that the company is experimenting with all kinds of form factors. Although companies such as Samsung and Huawei have made great strides since the first generation of foldable devices, it is safe to say that no one has cracked the code perfectly yet. Screen technology has improved a lot in recent years – and so has E Ink technology.
“Apple tests E Ink’s Electronic Paper Display (EPD) for future foldable screen covers and tablet-like applications,” Kuo reported on Twitter earlier today† “The color EHR has the potential to become a mainstream solution for the indispensable cover/second screen of foldable devices thanks to its excellent energy savings.”
Image Credits: Brian Heater (Samsung Galaxy Fold)
The last part is unmistakable. One of E Ink’s biggest selling points is energy savings. It’s an important part of why your Kindle’s battery life is rated in weeks rather than hours. But the technology has historically had numerous drawbacks that have hindered mainstream adoption beyond a few select categories such as e-readers.
Recent generations of E Ink electronic papers have added color and accelerated the notoriously slow refresh rate and response rate. As you can imagine, there’s still a long way to go before Apple adopts such technology, even for a secondary, external display. Although, with the company’s first foldable version rumored (in 2025 at the earliest), there may be plenty of time left for electronic paper technology to get up to speed.
As always, one should take all of the above with a few grains of salt. It’s a long timeline, and even if the reports come out, there’s a big gap between testing and releasing. It’s also worth noting that these kinds of rumors have been around for almost as long as the iPhone. So, in the short term, it might be best to focus on more viable rumors like a USB-C iPhone.
