A new patent awarded to Apple today, uncovered by Patently Apple, shows the company is exploring a foldable iPhone concept, confirming what rumours have long suggested. Apple was believed to be researching foldable iPhone designs starting back in 2013, but new evidence suggests the company is still serious about making this concept a reality at some point.

The new patent was actually filed back in August 28, but was only officially awarded to Apple today. Patently Apple claims the company was able to keep its newest foldable iPhone patent under wraps by using an engineer's name during the filing process. The patent itself explicitly uses the iPhone moniker (rather than referring to it as a generic "electronic device") and shows several drawings depicting the current design we all know, including the iconic home button.

An image from the patent application shows a folding iPhone.

Where the patent gets interesting is in its description of the materials that could be used to make the future iPhone. It explicitly describes an iPhone housing that could be made with glass, ceramic, fibre, aluminium or plastic - which isn't much different than what's currently used. The real revelation, however, is in the patent's description of "carbon nanotubes" that would allow the iPhone to literally fold in half down the middle.

Here's what the patent says: