Special materials used in foldable iPhones

Apple is searching for screen protection materials for the foldable iPhone. Photo: 9to5Mac .

Apple is considering changing the screen protector material for its first foldable phone. According to The Elec , Apple may use polyimide (PI) film as a protective layer over the ultra-thin glass (UTG) of the device expected to launch later this year.

Sources indicate that Apple is considering two options: polyimide (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.

This move is seen as a shift from Apple's previous direction. According to information from early 2025, the company had considered using PET film, similar to how Samsung is currently using it in its foldable phones.

UTG is an ultra-thin glass layer used as a protective coating for foldable screens. Samsung previously used 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.

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.

A foldable iPhone could be launched in late 2026. Photo: Cult of Mac .

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.

The Elec also reported that Kolon Industries could be a candidate to supply transparent PI films to Apple. The company specializes in producing colorless PI films and had previously built a production line before 2020.

However, after UTG glass became the standard in the foldable phone market, PI film was used significantly less. Even so, some models still used this material in their early stages. Samsung used PI film supplied by Sumitomo Chemical for the Galaxy Fold in 2019.

Apple has yet to confirm information about its foldable smartphone model or the materials that will be used. However, reports suggest that the company is in the process of carefully evaluating options to select the optimal solution for durability and user experience.