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Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

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1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

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Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
TechApple

Apple May Be Eyeing a Foldable iPhone

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
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By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 27, 2017, 8:19 PM ET

Apple’s next big innovation may be a foldable iPhone that opens and closes like a book.

The consumer technology giant filed a patent application last week with the U.S. Patent & Trade Office that details its research into electronic devices with flexible display screens.

A foldable iPhone could eliminate some of the inconvenience of carrying full-size smartphones in pockets and purses. Instead, people could fold and then unfold them like a piece of paper when they want to make a call or check their email.

The patent application said that the technology is related to any kind of electronic device that has a display, like a “laptop computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a wristwatch, or other electronic device (e.g., a portable device, handheld device, etc.).”

If it were to create a foldable iPhone screen, Apple could likely use similar technology in its other products like Mac computers and Apple Watch.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Apple isn’t the only company reportedly interested in foldable smartphones. Samsung is also rumored to be working on a foldable version of its Galaxy branded smartphones.

It should be noted that just because Apple has applied for a patent, doesn’t mean that it will indeed create a foldable iPhone. Companies routinely file and receive technology patents that never become actual products.

In any case, for people who just forked over $1,000 for a new iPhone X—don’t expect them to bend anytime soon.

 

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
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Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

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