Abstract:
After Apple released its first foldable screen smartphone, iPhone Duo, Apple CEO John Ternus and Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Greg "Joz" Joswiak systematically disclosed the internal confidential research and development of the project for the first time in their latest interview.
The two executives not only gave an in-depth explanation of why Apple has been indifferent to folding screens for a long time, but also reviewed how the engineering team overcame core problems such as creases, interaction, and software and hardware integration under extremely top-secret conditions.
Talking about the origins of the folding screen form and the current status of the industry, Joswiak bluntly pointed out that the folding screen products launched by the early Android camp failed to bring real inspiration and sense of urgency to Apple. He emphasized that Apple's history has never been to rush to launch a "semi-finished product". The experience of many competing products on the market often feels like two ordinary mobile phones forcibly spliced together, which not only results in a square and awkward display ratio, but also destroys the intuitive experience of vertical content scrolling. From the beginning, Apple has established the goal of iPhone Duo as a seamless fusion of iPhone and iPad experiences, rather than simply compromising the basic experience in pursuit of novel forms.
In the exclusive interview, Turners focused on reviewing the long and demanding technical roadmap. In order to completely solve the most criticized screen crease and reflection problems of traditional folding screens, the engineering team introduced nano-texture technology originally used in high-end professional displays and iPad Pro into the flexible screen. Through optical calibration of the microscopic surface, it greatly suppressed the diffuse reflection of light, and finally achieved a screen crease control effect that is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and has a smooth and smooth touch. In terms of operating experience, the development team restructured the interaction logic of iOS 27 and unified and optimized the core control area of the external screen and the 7.8-inch large unfolded screen to the right edge of the fuselage to ensure that when users switch between closing the cover with one hand and spreading it with both hands, the thumb can always fall on the same and intuitive operating line.
Turners gave a clear response to the outside world's questions about whether iPhone Duo's support for Apple Pencil goes against the "stylus judgment" of the late former CEO Steve Jobs. He said that Apple never regarded the discussion of that year as a rigid dogma. What Steve Jobs opposed at the time was the stylus as the only tool for basic navigation of mobile phones. When the iPhone Duo is unfolded, it essentially has an efficient canvas like a small iPad. The introduction of a stylus on such a large screen can stimulate extremely powerful professional productivity and creative potential.
In addition, Joswiak is very pleased that the project can still maintain a high level of confidentiality after years of intensive research and development. According to reports, in order to prevent the core design concept and the unique magnetic hinge hovering mechanical structure from being leaked early, Apple has established an extremely strict project physical isolation mechanism and code management system internally; even when the supply chain and third-party developers conducted in-depth coordination on large-screen adaptation on the eve of the autumn conference, the core complete machine assets and key hardware features were still locked in the hands of a very small core team. In the end, it brought a real sense of shock to global consumers at the conference site.
Faced with the ultra-high-end pricing of the machine starting at US$1,999, Turners said that iPhone Duo is Apple’s most complex industrial design and precision manufacturing terminal device to date, and its technology accumulation and software and hardware synergy value are fully worthy of its pricing level. As the official launch date approaches next month, Apple is making every effort to promote more mainstream third-party applications, including video streaming and online collaboration, to complete native adaptation of large-screen multitasking, striving to make this foldable screen flagship, which has been polished in the laboratory for many years, show an impeccable mature form on the first day it is launched on the market.
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