What you need to know
- Aesthetics of Technology created a folding iPhone using the body of a Motorola Razr.
- The spindle of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was initially used but its folded angle was far too sharp from the iPhone's screen to handle without damage.
- While the device was functional in the end, the iOS software is where everything falls flat as it is not optimized for a folded setting.
Android phone makers have been coming with foldable devices for quite a while and a few curious bodies brought that same innovation to the iPhone — kind of.
The intellectual minds of Aesthetics of Technology posted a video of how they took a regular iPhone and made it fold using the body of a Motorola Razr. Eyes have looked while minds have wondered about just when Apple will create a foldable iPhone. The video brings that fantasy to life — with a few bumps in the road, as well.
There were a few issues with the beginning process of creating this foldable iPhone for Aesthetics of Technology. The task was to dismantle the device and take its screen. There were a few layers they had to go through to ensure the screen would function properly not only with touch inputs but also with the entire device's processing system.
Where things get interesting when it comes down to the body of this experimental foldable. Aesthetics of Technology played around with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, however, that phone features a quick, sharp angle when it folds. There's very little spacing between the two screens when it's in its most compact form. From their tests and the fact that the iPhone screen they stripped from the body isn't exactly made for folding, they concluded that the form factor wouldn't work.
In stepped the Motorola Razr, which features a much more forgiving spindle and a much wider angle when the device folds. Since the iPhone's screen would end up separating under a sharper degree, the Razr's wider 7 mm gap when folded worked better for the project.
The crew then went on to go about fitting in the battery along with finding a motherboard to operate the device.
In the end, Aesthetics of Technology's folding iPhone was indeed functional but came with some issues, as well. The most glaring of these issues was how Apple would need to recreate its iOS to function in a folded setting. Elements on this experimental build looked quite odd since the software is made for a vertical screen. Using the camera app is quite different than using it on the Z Flip 3 or the latest Galaxy Z Flip 4 where each screen takes its own portion of the app, displaying what the lens sees at the top with its controls beneath it.
There is definitely some potential there for Apple to pursue its Android competitors in creating a foldable phone. The only question is will that be before or after the Google Fold makes its debut?
