Apple this week suspended its Apple Pay service for the Mir card payment system in Russia, effectively closing a loophole that had allowed Russians to continue to use the Apple Pay service.
According to Reuters, Mir had remained connected to Apple Pay even after Apple restricted the use of the payments service in Russia on March 1 for Mastercard and Visa cardholders.
Russia's National Card Payment System said on Thursday that Mir access had been removed, and Mir cards will no longer work with Apple Pay in the coming days.
"Apple has informed NSPK it is suspending support for Mir cards in the Apple Pay payment service. Starting from March 24, users cannot add new Mir cards to the service. Apple will stop all operations of previously added cards over the next few days," NSPK said on Friday.
Apple Pay support launched for the Mir payment system in July 2021. Mir is Russia's national payment system, with 150 banks issuing Mir cards.
Apple is again providing stock bonuses to some engineers in order to encourage them to stay with the company, reports Bloomberg. Select hardware and software engineers are receiving bonuses of up to $200k, a rare offering from Apple.
Back in December, Apple provided up to $180,000 in bonuses to select engineers in silicon design, hardware, and operations, while the new bonuses are going to both hardware and software engineers. The source who told Bloomberg about the new round of bonuses said that fewer engineers are receiving the special grant this time around.
The bonuses, ranging from $100,000 to $200,000, have been provided in the form of restricted stock units that are set to vest over the course of four years provided the employees stay with Apple and do not take jobs at other companies.
Apple has been providing bonuses to encourage employee retention and to prevent other companies like Meta from poaching its top talent.
Apple is facing yet another €5 million ($5.5 million) fine in the Netherlands for failing to sufficiently meet recently mandated alternative payment system requirements for dating apps, reports Reuters.
Apple has been fined €45 million ($49.5 million) by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) to date, with Apple racking up a new fine each week. The ACM initially said that it planned to fine Apple €5 million per week until it hit a maximum fine of €50 million, but now it looks like the total fines could exceed that.
According to Reuters, subsequent fines after the 50 million euro total could be higher, so we will have to wait to see how this situation ultimately plays out.
Following the ruling that required Apple to allow alternate payment methods for dating apps, Apple said that it would comply. Apple ended up reducing its commission on purchases made using third-party payment systems to 27 percent, down from the standard 30 percent, but the ACM was not satisfied.
To get the reduced fee, Apple is requiring developers to maintain separate app binaries for apps that use third-party payments and it is asking developers to submit monthly records of sales so that applicable commission can be tracked.
The ACM is not pleased with Apple's decision to force dating apps to choose between using the standard in-app purchase system or an alternative payment system, and has said that dating apps must be able to offer both options, leading to the series of fines.
Apple has fought the ACM's order, and submitted another proposal this week in an effort to put a stop to the fees. Apple's newest offer does not fully comply with the order, the ACM said today, so the fines will continue.
Acclaimed Apple content creator Rene Ritchie joins us on The MacRumors Show podcast this week to reflect on the all-new Mac Studio and Studio Display now that users have had a chance to spend some time with the machines.
The eighth episode of The MacRumors Show takes a look at the Mac Studio and Studio Display's real-world performance, ports, and pricing, as we try to get to the bottom of exactly who these devices are meant for. We also take a closer look at the mixed to negative reaction to the Studio Display and discuss whether it is justified, and cast an eye toward what could be next for Apple silicon Macs and Apple external displays.
We were glad to be joined by Rene Ritchie, the prolific YouTuber, podcaster, blogger, writer, and all-round Apple content creator. Rene is the former executive editor of iMore, a founding member of video streaming service Nebula, and has been a prominent voice in the Apple space for over a decade. Business Insider has said that Rene is one of the top 100 most influential tech people on Twitter, one of the top 25 Gadget Gurus, and one of the 15 most important Apple analysts and writers.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests, such as Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, and Andru Edwards. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover going forward.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Moment to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a $500 gift card that can be used to purchase anything from the Moment site, including the company's MagSafe accessories, iPhone camera lenses, iPhone cases, camera bags, microphones, and more.
Moment bills itself as the marketplace for photographers and filmmakers, and the site has long been known for its series of dedicated camera lenses designed to fit Apple's iPhones. Moment makes a series of high-quality lenses designed to enhance the camera technology in Apple's own iPhones.
Priced starting at around $100, Moment has a wide array of lens options, including telephoto, wide, fisheye, and macro, which is handy as this is not technology available in all iPhones. Moment also has anamorphic lenses for adding a cinematic look to iPhone videos.
Moment over the last couple of years has expanded its online store, offering an array of accessories beyond camera lenses. The site sells all kinds of useful slings, backpacks, travel bags, and organizers, for photography and for more general tech use, and many of the offerings are ideal for those who have Apple products to tote around. Many of the bags are Moment branded, but the website also offers third-party products from companies like f-stop, Peak Design, WANDRD, and more.
We have one $500 Moment gift card for a lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
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The contest will run from today (March 25) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 1. The winner will be chosen randomly on April 1 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Developer Marco Arment's popular third-party podcast player Overcast received an update today that brings the largest redesign in the app's near eight-year history, with frequently requested features added and many under-the-hood improvements made.
Firing up the updated app, regular users will first notice the overhauled home screen, with new customizable visual identities for playlists (which can now be manually ordered with drag-and-drop).
For quicker access, users can now opt to see recently played and newly published podcast episodes on the home screen, similar to the Overcast widget and CarPlay experience, while podcasts can now be pinned to the top of the home screen list.
Elsewhere, the "Podcasts" and "Played Podcasts" sections now have a toggle at the top that can be used to switch the interface to list podcasts with current episodes, all followed podcasts, and inactive podcasts (those not followed or which haven't published a new episode in a long time).
Top of the much-requested features category is a new Mark as Played checkmark button on episode rows, which is also a left-side swipe action. There is also now a way to view all starred episodes, with special playlist options for Starred, Downloaded, and In Progress.
Amongst other improvements and bug fixes: The light and dark themes now each have a customizable tint color from the modern iOS UI-color palette, notifications and background downloads are much more reliable, episode downloads can now be individually deleted or re-downloaded, links can be opened in Safari, and performance has been enhanced when dealing with very large playlists and collections.
Overcast 2022.2 is available for iPhone and iPad from the App Store in the form of an ad-supported free version or $9.99 per year ad-free. [Direct Link]
Apple CEO Tim Cook will attend the 94th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday as Apple TV+ is nominated for several Oscar awards, according to the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter and founding partner of Puck, Matthew Belloni.
Cook's attendance at the event is due the fact that Apple is nominated for a total of six Oscar awards. The six nominations include best picture for the film "CODA," best actor for Denzel Washington in "The Tragedy of Macbeth," best supporting actor for Troy Kotsur in "CODA," and others. Cook's attendance on Sunday will mark his first time attending an Oscar award ceremony, although the CEO did attend the Golden Globes in 2020.
Apple received its first-ever Oscar nominations in 2021 for Tom Hanks' "Greyhound" film which Apple reportedly paid $70 million to exclusively stream on the platform. This week Cook visited with the cast of the Apple TV+ film "CODA," which tells the story of 17-year-old Ruby, the only hearing member of the family.
Apple's rumored 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models will feature new display sizes, but will miss out on mini-LED and ProMotion technology, according to Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young.
In a thread on Twitter, Young said that the the 2022 MacBook Air will feature a display size of 13.6-inches. This would make it 0.3-inches larger than the current MacBook Air, but still 0.6-inches smaller than the current 14.2-inch MacBook Pro. The new display size will presumably be accommodated by a complete redesign that moves away from the current tapered profile in favor of a thinner, MacBook Pro-like chassis.
Earlier this week, Young reported that Apple was working on a larger, 15-inch MacBook Air model set to launch in 2023. This is not the first time that we have heard about a 15-inch MacBook Air, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurmansaid last year that Apple was working on a larger, 15-inch MacBook Air. Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that this device may be called the "MacBook" rather than MacBook Air.
Today, Young said that the 15-inch MacBook Air or "MacBook" will feature an exact display size of 15.2-inches. This is 0.2-inches smaller than the 15-inch display size that Apple previously offered on its larger MacBook Pro model until the introduction of the 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2019. Assuming the device would also sport thinner bezels than the now-discontinued 15-inch MacBook Pro and a new design, the 15-inch MacBook Air could have a noticeably smaller overall size compared to that device.
Young told MacRumors that neither of the new MacBook Air models will feature a mini-LED display or ProMotion technology. This seems to run against multiple claims from DigiTimes which said that the MacBook Air will get a mini-LED display in 2022, but Young maintains that the two new MacBook Air models will have LCD displays to maintain a lower price points compared to the high-end MacBook Pros.
Amazon today has the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro/10-core CPU/1TB SSD for $2,249.00, down from $2,499.00. This sale is only available in Silver, and the notebook is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with stock available today.
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To date, this is the best price we've ever tracked on this model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, beating the previous record low by about $50. Only Amazon is currently offering this discount price, and as of writing only the 1TB 14-inch MacBook Pro is seeing an all-time low price.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
European lawmakers have provisionally agreed upon a new law that would force Apple to allow user access to third-party app stores and permit the sideloading of apps on iPhones and iPads, among other sweeping changes designed to make the digital sector fairer and more competitive.
The European Council and European Parliament said on Friday they had reached a political agreement on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will target many of the services offered by tech giants and force them to open up to other businesses.
Today's announcement focuses on services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage, which will have to "open up and interoperate with smaller messaging platforms, if they so request," according to the EU. "Users of small or big platforms would then be able to exchange messages, send files or make video calls across messaging apps, thus giving them more choice."
Under the proposed DMA, Apple would also be forced to open up its App Store to third-party payment options instead of users having to go through Apple's own payment system – something it fought hard against in the Apple vs. Epic Games trial.
In addition, Apple would have to allow users to uninstall its Safari browser and other stock apps so that they can replace them with third-party alternatives if they so wish.
The DMA's broad scope also features several other demands that tech companies will have to abide by and which would surely impact Apple's services and platforms on multiple fronts. According to the proposed law, companies with a value of more than €75 billion ($83 billion), annual sales of €7.5 billion, and at least 45 million monthly users will meet its "gatekeeper" criteria, which comes with the following obligations and commitments.
Gatekeepers Will Have To:
Ensure that users have the right to unsubscribe from core platform services under similar conditions to subscription.
For the the most important software (e.g. web browsers), not require this software by default upon installation of the operating system.
Ensure the interoperability of their instant messaging services' basic functionalities.
Allow app developers fair access to the supplementary functionalities of smartphones (e.g. NFC chip).
Give sellers access to their marketing or advertising performance data on the platform.
Inform the European Commission of their acquisitions and mergers.
But They Can No Longer:
Rank their own products or services higher than those of others (self-preferencing).
Reuse private data collected during a service for the purposes of another service.
Establish unfair conditions for business users.
Pre-install certain software applications.
Require app developers to use certain services (e.g. payment systems or identity providers) in order to be listed in app stores.
According to the DMA, if a gatekeeper violates the rules laid down in the legislation, it risks a fine of up to 10% of its total global turnover. For a repeat offense, a fine of up to 20% of its global turnover may be imposed.
If a gatekeeper systematically fails to comply with the DMA (or violates the rules at least three times in eight years), the European Commission can open a market investigation and impose "behavioral or structural remedies."
The European Union has had to impose record fines over the past 10 years for certain harmful business practices by very large digital players," said Cédric O, French Minister of State with responsibility for digital. "The DMA will directly ban these practices and create a fairer and more competitive economic space for new players and European businesses. These rules are key to stimulating and unlocking digital markets, enhancing consumer choice, enabling better value sharing in the digital economy and boosting innovation. The European Union is the first to take such decisive action in this regard and I hope that others will join us soon."
The wording of the legislation has yet to be finalized, but once the language is in place, the European Parliament and the Council will need to approve it. The regulation must be implemented within six months after its entry into force. Digital competition chief Margrethe Vestager said today that she expected the DMA to come into force "sometime in October."
Should the Digital Markets Act go on to become law, Apple will have to make major changes to its iPhone and iPad platform to accommodate the requirement to allow for non-App Store apps. Apple said it was "concerned that some provisions of the DMA will create unnecessary privacy and security vulnerabilities for our users."
Apple is also facing similar legislation in the United States, with U.S. House lawmakers in June introducing antitrust bills that would result in major changes to the tech industry if passed.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple's official TV app is now available to hotel guests whose rooms come with a Philips MediaSuite hospitality television set.
PPDS, the global provider of Philips TV products for the hospitality market, has partnered with Apple to bring the TV app to Philips MediaSuite installed hotels, where guests can now gain access to their Apple TV+ subscription when away from home.
With the Apple TV app, travelers can watch original series and films from Apple TV+, get curated recommendations for what to watch, and pick up where they left off on the shows and movies they're currently watching.
The partnership adds to existing deals with other leading streaming providers, such as Netflix – coupled with 4K Chromecast built in – to offer hotel guests an extensive choice of streaming TV home entertainment.
"I am absolutely delighted that we can now offer access to the Apple TV app, which features Apple TV+, one of the world's most popular TV streaming services, to Philips MediaSuite," said Jeroen Verhaeghe, PPDS's international business manager for hospitality. "Bringing even more choice to hotel guests by allowing them to stream the content they enjoy, in the ways they want. Heightened by the pandemic, streaming services have never been more popular, so it's vital to PPDS and the hospitality industry to keep pace and meet the new needs of today's travelers with our Philips professional displays."
The Apple TV app can be added to MediaSuite TVs through the Google Play store after the latest Philips MediaSuite firmware update has been installed.
Apple today started taking orders for the HomePod mini in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland for the first time, as spotted by iCulture.
Apple said earlier this month that it would make the HomePod mini available to order in the above countries by the end of March, but never gave a specific release date. The speaker also gained support for languages spoken in those countries as part of a software update released in December.
Customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland can now order the speakers from Apple's regional online stores, although delivery times vary from one business day to up to five days, so anyone wanting to pick one up sooner is better off visiting one of Apple's retail stores.
As in other countries, the HomePod mini is available in five colors, including white, space gray, yellow, orange, and blue. The small Siri-enabled speaker has a woven power cable and comes with a 20W USB-C power adapter in the box.
HomePod mini first launched in October 2020 in the United States, and the speaker is also available in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Austria, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The speaker is also expected to launch in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland later this year.
Apple today announced that its revamped Maps experience is now available in the Canadian cities of Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver.
The update delivers more detailed maps, complete with custom-designed 3D landmarks, such as the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal, and Robson Square in Vancouver. Navigation is also improved, with more detailed road markings and a 3D road-level view when approaching complex intersections.
The improved city experience is also available in London, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
"We're excited for Apple Maps users to explore the beauty and culture of Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver in an incredibly detailed new way," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "Built with privacy at its core, this update is the continuation of our commitment to building the best, most accurate map of the world — with a beautifully designed experience and attention to detail that only Apple can deliver."
The rumored 15-inch Mac notebook that Apple is working on might not be called the "MacBook Air," according to information shared today on Twitter by well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Recent rumors have indicated that Apple is working on a larger-screened version of the MacBook Air that could measure in at around 15 inches and that would be sold alongside the 13-inch MacBook Air. The updated machine is expected to come out sometime in 2023, but if Kuo is accurate, it might not be in the MacBook Air family.
Kuo does not supply a possible naming alternative, but Apple has in the past used the "MacBook" name on a standalone basis for some of its Mac options. The last "MacBook" was the 12-inch MacBook that was discontinued in 2019.
Though Apple might go with another name, Kuo says the company is still aiming to use the same 30W power adapter that the MacBook Air uses as a power source, despite the larger screen. "Although a larger display generally consumes more power, the design goal is to use the same 30W power adapter as MacBook Air," Kuo writes.
Rumors yesterday from display analyst Ross Young suggested that the 15-inch machine would come out in 2023, and Kuo further narrows down the timeframe by suggesting that mass production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Apple's legal battle with Epic Games is continuing on, and today, the Cupertino company filed an opening brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Both Apple and Epic Games opted to appeal the original ruling in the Epic Games v. Apple case as neither company was satisfied with the outcome. Epic lost, while Apple was subject to App Store changes that are on hold pending the outcome of the appeal.
Following Epic's initial opening brief in January, Apple submitted its latest filing to the appeals court this afternoon. In the brief, Apple argues that Epic Games lost the case not because of legal error, but because of its "unprecedented" and "unfounded" accusations of anticompetitive conduct. Apple quotes several passages from the initial ruling that point out Epic's failings.
Epic built its case on witnesses who "lack[ed] credibility" and were "unreliable," whose testimony was "wholly lacking in an evidentiary basis," and who were "willing to stretch the truth in support of [Epic's] desired outcome." At trial, its theories were revealed to be "artificial," "misconceived," and "litigation driven." At every turn, Epic "failed to demonstrate," "failed to convince," "failed to produce," "failed to present," "failed to show," "failed to persuade," and "failed to prove" the facts of its case.
Apple argues that Epic is using the appeal to try to "change the narrative" because it can show no error in the district court's original ruling. To win its appeal, Epic needs to prove without a doubt that the first court's findings were erroneous, and Apple does not believe that's going to happen.
According to Apple, Epic made far-reaching claims at the edges of antitrust law that were unsuccessful, and there is no basis for the initial ruling to be overturned on appeal. Apple also claims that Epic lacks standing to make further arguments about the App Store because it is no longer an iOS developer, as the Epic Games developer account has been terminated.
Epic had the burden to prove, among other things, that the challenged limitations were unreasonable restraints of trade under a framework the parties agreed on before trial began. After a 16-day bench trial, the district court found that Epic had failed to carry its burden of proof on every one of its antitrust claims. That should not surprise: Throughout the history of the App Store, it is undisputed that prices have only gone down, while output has exploded. Those are the hallmarks of competition, not monopolization. To reverse, this Court would have to depart from settled law and ignore the district court's detailed findings of fact.
Several state attorneys general joined together to file an amicus brief to support Epic Games, and Apple claims this was done to "make it easier for them to win antitrust lawsuits." Microsoft also supported Epic Games, and according to Apple, Microsoft is simply "pursuing a self-interested business strategy of distinguishing itself from other platforms even while making 'hundreds of millions of dollars' from its partnership with Epic."
The original ruling determined that Apple's anti-steering provisions preventing developers from linking to outside payment methods were unfair under the California Unfair Competition Law, leading the judge to order Apple to make changes to the App Store to allow developers to use outside payment methods. Apple's filing addresses this aspect of the appeal, with Apple claiming that the initial court made an error in the ruling.
"The UCL injunction cannot stand," Apple writes. Apple's main claim is that because it was not found to be engaging in anticompetitive behavior, the App Store rules are also not unfair under the California law, which the appeals court has upheld before. Apple also says that the district court does not have the authority to levy such an injunction.
The injunction exceeds the district court’s authority. Epic failed to prove irreparable injury to itself. Moreover, this is not a class action, and any injunctive relief must be limited to Epic as a matter of both state and federal law.
Apple says that its own cross-appeal focuses on purely legal issues, unlike Epic's appeal, which is asking the court to second guess factual findings from the original trial and change the law. Apple's full opening brief can be read over on Scribd for those interested.
Following Apple's first appeals filing, amicus briefs in support of Apple will be submitted in the near future. From there, additional briefs will be submitted by Apple and Epic before the court will set a date to hear arguments. Given the timeline, Apple expects a decision to come by summer 2023 at the earliest.
Apple has made it clear that it has no intention of considering reinstating the Epic Games developer account until the legal battle has been settled, so Fortnite will not be returning to the App Store anytime soon.
If you're currently having trouble sending iMessages to friends and family, you're not alone. Apple's iMessage service appears to be experiencing some kind of outage that is preventing messages from being delivered.
There are multiple complaints about the iMessage outage on Twitter, and MacRumors can confirm that we too are experiencing problems in our Messages testing. In some cases, messages are not being delivered at all, and in other cases, images are not going through.
Apple is developing a hardware subscription service that would allow customers to "subscribe" and receive an iPhone or other Apple device as part of their subscription, similar to the way current Apple subscriptions like iCloud work, reports Bloomberg.
Customers would be able to pay a monthly subscription fee and gain access to a device for the subscription period. This would be ideal for customers who do not have the funds to buy an expensive iPhone, iPad, or Mac up front, but who can afford a monthly price for the device, plus it would bring in more revenue for Apple.
Apple is said to be aiming to make the process of buying an iPhone or an iPad "on par" with purchasing iCloud storage or paying for an Apple Music subscription, with customers able to subscribe to hardware with their Apple ID and App Store account.
Compared to the iPhone Upgrade Program, it would differ because Apple would charge a yet-to-be-determined monthly fee rather than splitting the cost of a device across a 12 or 24 month period. It would also cover other products while the iPhone Upgrade Program is limited to the iPhone.
It is possible that Apple will allow subscription users to swap out their devices for updated models when refreshed products are released, and Apple has had discussions internally about tying the subscription program to Apple One bundles and AppleCare support plans.
Customers would be able to purchase a hardware subscription on their devices, through the App Store, through the company's website, or at an Apple online store.
According to Bloomberg, the service will be Apple's "biggest push yet" into recurring sales, but the project is still in development and little is known about it at this time. Apple has been working on it for months, but it was pushed back to allow Apple to focus on a separate "buy now, pay later" service that is designed to allow customers to pay for Apple Pay purchases in installments over time.
Apple is working to implement hardware subscriptions by the end of 2022, but it could be delayed into 2023 or canceled entirely should Apple decide to go in a different direction.
Samsung will add a third foldable device to its smartphone lineup this year that will likely feature a unique rollable form factor, according to a reliable leaker of Samsung's plans.
Oppo X 2021 rollable phone concept
The existing Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 have been relatively successful additions to Samsung's smartphone family, and the company reportedly plans to ship over 10 million foldables in 2022 with successor models to the Flip 3 and Fold 3, along with a third unnamed addition to its foldable lineup.
The codenames that Samsung is using internally for the models expected this year are said to include B4, Q4, and N4, with B4 and Q4 believed to relate to the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, respectively, and the N4 referring to a completely new device.
Mobile leaker @UniverseIce, who is a well-regarded source of Samsung rumors, today claimed that Samsung's third foldable device is set for release in the second half of the year. However, the leaker believes the codename of the new device is in fact "Diamond" and says it has a "high probability" of having a rollable form factor. Responding to the claim, reputable display analyst Ross Young said he last heard that production of the device had been pushed out beyond 2022, and that he would now seek to confirm if that was still an accurate assessment.
Rollable/slidable phones don't yet exist on the consumer market, but plenty of concept devices have been advertised by mobile makers as they search for the next big innovation in smartphone technology. The Oppo X is a case in point. It used a motorized powertrain mechanism to unroll or extend the screen uniformly while avoiding visible kinks or folds in the display.
The Oppo X 2021 was the first rollable phone that was expected to come to market, but the device was never made available, although Oppo apparently has plans to release an updated version this year. Samsung also showed off a concept smartphone with a slidable OLED display in 2021, but it wasn't tied to a real consumer product launch.
Apple has explored rollable displays in the past, based on patents from the company. In March 2020, a patent attributed to Apple appeared on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that describes an "Electronic device with flexible display structures."
Apple patent
The patent details a flexible display that can be wrapped around one or more internal roller mechanisms, allowing the screen to expand out of the chassis. A rigid section remains to house the printed circuit boards and other electronic components, but with the addition of the rollable display layers.
"Elongated bistable support members may run along the edges of the display or may be overlapped by a central active area of the display to help stiffen and support the display in its extended position," explains the patent, which conceives the technology as adaptable to anything from a smartphone to a smartwatch.
As with all Apple patents, there's no indication that Apple has plans to bring such a device to market, but it is interesting to see what sorts of future solutions Apple is eyeing as it seeks to innovate beyond current consumer-use technologies and compete with future generations of devices with hybrid form factors.
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