Apple reportedly bought a rival foldable phone from China, tore it down, and used it as a reference point while working on its first foldable iPhone. The report claims Apple focused on one thing above all else: a flatter inner screen with a less visible crease.
OPPO Find N5 role in Apple’s foldable
A Weibo tipster claimed Apple purchased the OPPO Find N5 and disassembled it to study how OPPO reduced the crease on the inner display. The same post said Apple treated the Find N5 as a benchmark because its screen looked unusually smooth when opened flat.
The Find N5 also stands out for its thin design. The report says it measures about 4.2mm when unfolded, which forces tight engineering choices around the hinge, display layers, and overall rigidity. That thin build, paired with a minimized crease, is the combination Apple allegedly wanted to understand.
The rumor also repeats a familiar line about Apple’s goals for the iPhone Fold: a “crease-free” inner display. The report ties that goal to ultra-thin flexible glass, sometimes described as UFG, with varying thickness to improve durability while keeping the fold line less obvious.
Apple’s internal testing and the “hard to beat” crease claim
The same rumor says Apple built multiple internal samples, then compared them against the Find N5. According to the claim, none of Apple’s early panels matched OPPO’s inner-screen smoothness.
If that is true, it explains why “crease-free” talk keeps showing up in leaks. Apple does not want to ship a foldable iPhone that looks like every other foldable when you tilt it under light. It also wants a clear marketing difference, and the crease has become the easiest visual shortcut for foldable quality.
Another common prototype detail from earlier leaks: Apple may drop Face ID on early iPhone Fold hardware and use a side-mounted Touch ID sensor instead. The stated reason is space. A thinner frame makes it harder to fit the full Face ID hardware stack in the usual way.
None of this confirms Apple’s final design choices. Still, the direction lines up with what foldable makers keep chasing: thinner bodies, tighter hinges, and fewer display artifacts along the fold line.
Skepticism about “no crease” promises
The Weibo discussion around the rumor reads like a mix of pride, doubt, and sarcasm. Several commenters questioned whether a truly crease-free foldable is realistic.
One commenter dismissed the idea outright, saying, “A folding iPhone without creases is completely nonsense.” Another took a more cynical view of the rumor cycle and wrote that companies “blow it out first” and then later blame durability when they “give up this design.”
Others focused on the competitive angle. Some posts argued OPPO already does crease control well, while other commenters claimed different brands now match or beat OPPO depending on the model and size class.
The broader theme stays consistent: people want Apple to ship something meaningfully better than today’s foldables if it arrives late to the category. They also expect Apple to talk big before launch, which raises the bar for what it needs to deliver.
Apple’s foldable strategy
Phone makers buy competing devices and tear them down all the time. That part of the rumor is believable as a standard industry practice. The more interesting claim is the idea that one specific model gave Apple a “solid foundation” for its own foldable work.
If Apple did use the Find N5 as a reference, it points to two priorities:
- Apple values thinness even if it complicates the internal layout.
- Apple treats the crease as a top-tier problem, not a minor cosmetic issue.
It also hints at the likely story Apple wants to tell when the iPhone Fold arrives. Apple will not frame the phone as “our first foldable.” Apple will frame it as “the first foldable iPhone worth buying,” and the inner display finish will sit at the center of that pitch.
For now, this remains a rumor built on tipster chatter and online reactions. Still, it captures a simple reality: Apple will study the best foldables in the market, and it will not ship until it thinks it can beat them on the details people notice first.
