i-Shock! Foldable iPhone to be destruct-proof? Know what just got tipped

After the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Motorola Razr, several other brands have stepped into the foldable market – Oppo Find N2 Flip, Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, and Tecno Phantom V Fold, to name just a few. Now, it seems like Apple is planning to join the trend of foldable smartphones soon! Yes, an iPhone foldable may well be in the works. Not just that, it is being reported that the foldable iPhone will be virtually indestructible! So, how will a foldable iPhone be destruct-proof?

A report by AppleInsider has suggested that Apple is developing a technology that enables iPhones with flexible screens to sense when they are dropped. Surprisingly, this foldable iPhone will quickly fold up to reduce impact and minimize potential damage, the report quoted a patent application known as "Self-Retracting Display Device And Techniques For Protecting Screen Using Drop Detection."

As per the report, the foldable iPhone will come with the genius feature of the display that lets it fold at the hinge or can be pulled out of a base chassis, and has the ability to detach or fold in a manner that protects the screen from damage. This approach avoids the use of a potentially fragile hinge or connection to the device. The display can sense the need for this action, specifically when the device detects a fall.

"Mobile devices with foldable and rollable displays can use a sensor to detect vertical acceleration (e.g., acceleration with respect to the ground) to determine if the mobile device has been dropped," AppleInsider quoted the patent application. According to the report, even folding the display at an angle below 180 degrees can provide some degree of protection, as the mobile device can hit the edges of the device instead of the display. Additionally, if a device is rollable, the display can retract if predetermined acceleration limits are exceeded.

However, this all will depend on how quickly a foldable iPhone can detect the fall and deploy the safety mechanism.