Apple is known to take its time in adopting new technology on its devices. Whether it was the OLED screen or 120Hz refresh rate, the Cupertino giant ran behind Android manufacturers by a couple of years. However, in doing so, the company always tries to improve the implementation and make the technology even more useful.
According to Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS), Apple is currently experimenting with ultra-thin, flexible glasses of variable thickness for the main screen of its purported foldable. While the company is facing technical challenges in eliminating the crease, it is on the right track and could produce a crease-free foldable in 2026.
Apple’s spending more time on its foldable display than anyone else
The company is said to be exploring a more complex, multi-layer ultra-thin glass structure than what we’re used to seeing on current-generation foldables. The company could combine it with a redesigned hinge and a sub-display support plate. Together, these components will reduce stress on the folding area, resulting in a crease that’s dramatically less visible.
However, Apple’s ambitions don’t end with a new crease-less foldable. The company is spending significant time and resources on developing a material solution that is crease-free when new, and that avoids deep creases after thousands of folds, i.e., after a couple of years of owning the phone. However, the pursuit of perfection is taking a long time.
While modern foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are closer to conventional smartphones than ever, there’s one aspect that lets them down: the display crease and the handset’s long-term durability. Well, Apple’s slightly strategic approach directly addresses those concerns.
While the price of Apple’s first foldable might not put it in the hands of the masses, it could very well be the first foldable to offer a crease-less screen in a much more durable chassis than we’re used to. If you’ve been planning to get a foldable that ships without a screen, be prepared by September 2026 with a heart full of excitement (and a wallet full of money).
However, if Apple doesn’t find the right balance between components and creases, it could delay the iPhone Fold to 2027. Meanwhile, Apple is working in tandem with Samsung to provide iPhone notifications on a Galaxy smartwatch, if that’s what you’re interested in.