Apple is making steady progress on its first folding phone, and the company has a specific plan to fix one of the biggest problems with current folding screens. Most foldable phones on the market right now have a visible line right down the middle where the screen bends. To avoid this issue, Apple is designing a new screen that uses two separate layers of glass.
This approach aims to keep the display completely flat and smooth when you open it up, without that bump in the center.
Apple is using a different approach than competitors with a layered glass on the foldable iPhone
The new design stacks two thin glass panels on top of each other. The top layer handles the actual bending, while the bottom layer provides structural support. By splitting the work between two pieces of glass, the material experiences less stress when folded in half. This means the screen is much less likely to wear out over time or develop a permanent groove down the center.
It is a very different approach compared to what Samsung, Google, and other competitors currently do. Most other brands rely on a single piece of ultra-thin glass mixed with plastic layers. That older method often leaves a noticeable dip that you can easily feel under your finger when swiping across the display.
Apple is taking its time to make sure the folding mechanism is highly durable
Apple is known for waiting until a technology is completely ready before adopting it. The company wants to make sure the folding mechanism is highly durable before putting it on store shelves.
Supply chain reports suggest Apple engineers are currently testing the layered glass prototypes to see exactly how they hold up to hundreds of thousands of folds. They want to ensure the display maintains its touch sensitivity and visual clarity after years of heavy use.
If this dual-layer system works out as planned, we might finally get an iPhone that folds completely shut with no gap and opens into a totally flat screen. Right now, manufacturing sources suggest the official release is still at least a year away.
