Apple's foldable iPhone may just be a rumor at this point, but when it does debut — possibly as soon as next year — it could feature a custom display process that could set the standard for future phones.
That's according to a rumor appearing on Korea's naver blog. The leaker, a poster named yeux1122 claims that the foldable iPhone will feature a Samsung-designed display that meets Apple's requirements for thinness, power efficiency and brightness levels.
In an intriguing addition to the rumor, Samsung may have designed the screen as part of its display business. But Apple would hold the trademark.
The rumored display balances thinness and power by integrating the touch sensor directly into the panel — a process known as in-cell touch.
For reference, Samsung currently builds its devices with a separate touch layer placed on top of the OLED display. That's called on-cell touch, and you can see it in action on board current Galaxy Fold models. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 places its touch electrodes on the top layer of the OLED panel, covering them with a film.
In-cell touch brings several advantages, but one of the most prominent is that it allows the phone to cut its overall thickness by around 19%. Intergrating the touch cells also allows for better response time, and removes the lamination gap that appears on other foldables.
The report hints that Samsung may have strategically reduced the thickness of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to satisfy Apple's requirements for a manufacturer. For reference, we recently heard that Samsung's foldable could be the thinnest in the world at a staggering 3.9mm.
What else do we know about the foldable iPhone display?
This isn't the first time we've heard that Apple was focusing on making its screens energy efficient. Earlier rumors claim that Apple is planning on making its display power efficient by introducing a new display driver IC (DDI).
The phone, either called the iPhone Fold or iPhone Flip depending on who's doing the rumor-mongering, is expected to open up to reveal a 7.8-inch inner display with a 5.5-inch cover screen on the outside. It sounds like a design that has a lot in common with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold lineup.
However, one of the most interesting rumors about Apple's device is that it will feature a completely creaseless screen. If accurate, then this would be a pretty major advancement, as even the best foldable phones feature a crease of some kind.
That said, the success of this new display literally hinges on... well, the hinge. The reason that many foldable phone makers avoid in-cell touch is due to the mechanical stress and the durability of the hinge. The issue is that we don't really know anything about the hinge Apple plans on using, outside of very vague patents. So only time will tell if the the iPhone Fold's durability will become a concern.
For now, we will have to wait as it doesn't look like we'll see a foldable iPhone until at least 2026. However, when it does arrive, there are indications that the cost could exceed $2,100 at launch, which could make it tricky for Apple to make the device appealing, new screen technology or not.
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