It is revealed that Apple has signed a confidentiality agreement with a Korean manufacturer for folding machines, with liquidated damages of tens of billions of won.

[CNMO Technology News] On July 25, CNMO noticed that according to "CINNO" reports, Apple is signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Korean component manufacturers on the foldable project, with liquidated damages reaching billions or even hundreds. billion won. Apple plans to launch its first foldable product as early as 2026, and is actively developing a variety of foldable products including Clam Shell type (up and down folding) and Book type (left and right folding).

1. Apple’s first-year shipments of foldable products are expected to be approximately 15 million units.

2. Although the specific list of panel suppliers has not yet been announced, the industry generally expects Samsung Display to be one of the major suppliers. The reason is that Samsung Display is the only company among Apple's panel suppliers that can produce more than millions of foldable panels annually.
3. Samsung Display produced about 150 million to 160 million iPhone OLED displays on its A3 production line last year, and only 15 million units of foldable products are expected to be shipped, accounting for a small portion of its total production capacity. Existing production lines are already flexible enough to handle this increase without the need for additional production lines.

   

   1. In order to ensure the launch of foldable products in 2026, Apple needs to complete the supply chain construction in the second half of this year.
4. The supply chain selection of ultra-thin glass (UTG) covers and hinges, key components of Apple’s foldable products, has not yet been finalized. In the research of UTG materials, Apple has explored different technical solutions from Samsung Electronics’ foldable mobile phones, but the best solution has not yet been determined.
5. In addition, Apple also needs to consider the market positioning of its foldable products. If a Clam Shell-type product similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is launched, it may form a market overlap with the iPhone Pro Max product; if a Book form similar to the Galaxy Z Fold is launched, it may form a market overlap with the iPad Mini. The industry predicts that Apple’s first foldable product may be positioned as a potential replacement for the iPad Mini.

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