(Image source from: Appleinsider.com)

Recent information suggests that Apple is developing a new foldable iPhone, which may provide significant opportunities for one of its suppliers linked to a certain type of material. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF Securities International shared insights indicating that competing smartphone brands are planning to utilize this novel material in their devices to vie against Apple's anticipated foldable offering. Although Apple has not officially revealed any plans for a foldable phone, it is speculated that this device will debut by the close of 2026. In a message on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), Kuo highlighted that Dongguan Yi’an Technology, an Apple supplier expected to provide parts for this first foldable handset, stands to gain from incorporating liquid metal in its components. Yi’an Technology is believed to be the sole supplier of this innovative material, which may be utilized in key areas of the folding iPhone. Kuo notes that Apple intends to depend on Yi’an Technology for the liquid metal, aimed at enhancing the durability of the foldable smartphone and potentially reducing the visibility of a crease on its internal display.

Kuo further reported that by the conclusion of the previous year, Yi’an Technology had furnished Apple with over 10 million shafts, a crucial element in the hinge mechanism of the foldable phone, employing die casting in their processing. This isn’t Apple’s first experience with liquid metal components; Kuo mentions that the company's SIM ejector tool is also crafted from this material. However, the application of liquid metal in the forthcoming foldable iPhone, projected to launch by the end of 2024, could offer a significant benefit to the Chinese supplier. Kuo forecasts that Yi’an Technology's revenue could surge by as much as 200 percent, based on materials provided for the foldable iPhone, potentially yielding earnings in the range of CNY 1.5 billion (around Rs. 1,780 crore) to CNY 2 billion (approximately Rs. 2,370 crore). Recent reports suggest that Apple's foldable iPhone may bear resemblance to the Oppo Find N, albeit with a shorter and thicker profile. It is expected to showcase a 5.49-inch cover display and a 7.74-inch internal display. The company is anticipated to unveil its inaugural foldable next year, followed by models like a foldable MacBook and iPad.