Is a foldable iPhone ready?

Reports from the supply chain reveal that the foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro will enter mass production as early as July, indicating that Apple has overcome the technical hurdles.

The foldable iPhone has likely passed the development stage and is preparing for mass production. Photo: Wccftech .

According to rumor expert Momentary Digital on Weibo, Apple is expected to begin mass production of both the foldable iPhone and the iPhone 18 Pro in July.

Introducing a completely new device like the iPhone Fold into production at the same time as the Pro line shows that Apple has overcome the most stringent technical hurdles.

The biggest challenge for any foldable phone is the crease on the screen. Reports indicate that Apple has made significant strides in creating a crease-free display, something even Android competitors are still striving to achieve.

To achieve this feat, Apple experimented with ultra-thin glass (UTG) technology at different thicknesses. The goal was to create a surface that was durable enough to withstand over 100,000 folds and unfolds, yet strong enough to provide a premium feel and a perfectly flat surface when opened.

UTG is an ultra-thin glass layer used as a protective coating for foldable screens. Samsung previously used polyimide (PI) film as a protective layer for the first Galaxy Fold launched in 2019. However, just a year later, the South Korean giant switched to using UTG to improve display quality.

Although UTG glass provides better image quality, it is less durable than PI glass. Therefore, Samsung added a PET film coating over the UTG glass to increase scratch resistance and overcome the durability drawback.

Meanwhile, according to The Elec, Apple will continue to use PI film as a protective layer on UTG glass. Sources indicate that Apple is considering two options: PI and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Of these, the transparent PI film is considered the more likely choice, although a final decision has not yet been made.

If Apple chooses to use a PI film overlay on the UTG glass layer, this could be a way for the company to differentiate itself from its biggest competitor in the foldable smartphone market, Samsung.

Compared to PET, PI film is more expensive but is considered to have greater surface hardness and scratch resistance. This is an important factor for foldable devices, which often have screen durability issues due to the constant folding and unfolding mechanism.

Source: https://znews.vn/iphone-gap-da-san-ready-post1629455.html