Foldable without a crease: How the foldable iPhone will remain smooth
Apple plans to launch a particularly robust, foldable device next year to overcome the weaknesses of previous models. But how does Apple intend to achieve this?
Person with foldable device (not Apple).
(Image: ra2 studio / Shutterstock.com)
Apple's plans for its first “iPhone Fold” are progressing: details about the device's special screen have now been revealed. Supply chain expert Ming-Chi Kuo from Taiwanese financial firm TF International Securities writes in a new report to investors who the suppliers for the flexible OLED display will be. Unlike current foldables from Samsung and Huawei, for example, there will be no visible “crease” in the area that is folded when closed. Users will therefore be presented with an almost flat screen.
Better distribution of bending stress
According to Kuo, Apple has brought another partner on board for this “crease-free” display in addition to the actual panel manufacturer, Samsung. This is reportedly the South Korean company Fine M-Tec, which, among other things, operates precision metal stamping facilities. There, special metal plates are to be produced that can dissipate the deformation stress of the foldable OLED.
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“The main cause of creasing in foldable smartphone displays is the concentration of stress at the fold points during repeated bending, which leads to material fatigue and permanent deformation,” writes Kuo. The metal plates help to distribute the bending stress so that the display material does not exceed its elasticity limit, “thus minimizing the likelihood of creasing.” This appears to be a proprietary Apple technology; at least Samsung & Co. do not currently offer anything similar. According to Kuo, Fine M-Tec will primarily manufacture for Apple in Vietnam, where it will likely build up additional production capacity. The metal plates are surprisingly expensive, costing between $30 and $35 each. Fine M-Tec could deliver up to 15 million units by 2026. Apple wants a microstructure in the plates, which is created using laser drilling. This is intended to distribute the load more evenly.
Questions about thinness
According to rumors so far, the new iPhone Fold (real name still unknown) will measure up to 7.8 inches when unfolded, giving it slightly less screen space than an iPad mini (8.3 inches). When folded, an external screen measuring (only) 5.5 inches can be used, claims Kuo. By comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max come with a (single) 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screen, respectively.
The iPhone Fold is said to be 4.5 mm thick at its thinnest point (outside the camera area) when unfolded and between 9 and 9.5 mm when folded. An iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max is 8.25 mm thick as standard. Samsung's Galaxy 7 Fold is thinner in both respects: 4.2 mm when unfolded and 8.9 mm when folded. The first iPhone foldable is not expected to ship before fall 2027. The iPhone 17 family will follow this September.
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