Apple is working on a foldable phone of its own, new patents reveal.

新专利表明，苹果公司正在研制其专属折叠式手机。

A future iPhone could be hinged¹ in the middle, according to the patents, allowing it to be folded up small and then opened again to allow the screen to be larger.

据该专利显示，未来的苹果手机可能会在手机中部装上铰链，使其可以折叠成小尺寸，而再次打开之后，还可以变成大屏幕。

The handset is just one of a range of bendy phones being worked on by companies. While Samsung's "Galaxy² X" is the most famous – and has been shown off in the most detail – just about every major company is working on its own foldable handset.

这款手机只是各公司正在研发的折叠式手机系列之一。三星公司已经向大家展示了Galaxy X手机的诸多细节，这也是最有名的折叠式手机，而且几乎所有的大公司都在研发其自有的折叠式手机。

Apple is not thought to be releasing a rival model any time soon, and the new iPhones it is set to release in September will keep the same form factor as the existing line-up. But the new patents show it has been considered for a future design.

人们并不认为，苹果公司近期内会推出竞品，而且将于今年9月份发布的新款苹果手机的形状参数（尺寸、形状、规格）与现有系列产品相同。但新专利表明，苹果公司已经在考虑未来的设计了。

The patent filing includes a full 24 images, showing different ways the phones could bend. And they don't apply only to iPhones – with features that could work for iPads or even Macs.

该专利文件中有足足24张图片，展示了这款手机的不同折叠方式。而且它们不仅可以应用于苹果手机，还可以应用于苹果平板电脑，甚至是苹果一体机。

If Apple does not release its new bendy phone until 2020 or later, it is likely to be late. Samsung's foldable phone is due to be released in the coming weeks, and other companies are already preparing their own rivals.

如果苹果公司到2020年或更晚的时候还未发布其新款折叠式手机，这可能就太迟了。三星公司的折叠式手机在数周后即将发布，而且其他公司已经在准备他们自己的竞品了。

It might also be that Apple does not reveal a foldable phone at all. The company regularly files patents for products that never actually make it to market.

苹果公司也可能根本不会推出折叠式手机。该公司经常会为一些绝不会真正推向市场的产品申请专利。