Apple and Samsung develop foldable-phone glass with a 40 µm etched center and edges over 100 µm thick
Both companies are developing ultra-thin glass with a thin etched middle and thicker static edges; a decision on adoption is reportedly expected in Q4 2027.
Apple and Samsung Electronics are developing a new type of ultra-thin glass (UTG) for foldable smartphones, with a thinner etched central part and thicker non-folding sections, 3DNews reports. The sales launch of the foldable iPhone Duo has intensified competition between the companies in foldable display technology. 3dnews.ru
3DNews3dnews.ruOpen source ↗ According to the report, the new design is expected to be introduced in 2028.
Current glass and the new design
Both companies currently use flat UTG of uniform thickness. Samsung uses 45 µm in the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, 60 µm in the Z Fold8 and 50 µm in the Z Flip8. The iPhone Duo is fitted with 45 µm UTG.
According to ZDNet sources, developers are considering reducing the thickness of the central zone to 40 µm, while the remaining areas would be more than 100 µm thick. The choice for the center is driven by current technical limits: thicker glass is more prone to cracking when bent. The etched central section must then be filled with a material whose optical properties match the surrounding glass, so that no visible difference appears on the display.
Samsung and Apple are expected to make a final decision on adopting the technology in the fourth quarter of 2027, with a launch to follow in 2028. 3dnews.ru
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Display construction and suppliers
The inner displays of the two companies are built differently. The iPhone Duo uses two UTG layers: the upper one serves as a protective window over the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, and the lower one, 40 µm thick, sits under the panel to reduce the visibility of the screen crease.
Samsung currently uses UTG only for the upper protective window and uses titanium for the lower layer. The South Korean manufacturer is also developing UTG technology for placement under the OLED panel.
One of the main UTG suppliers for the iPhone Duo is the Chinese company Lens Technology. Apple still depends on Samsung Display for flexible OLED panels; according to The Korea Herald, Samsung Display is the exclusive panel supplier for the iPhone Duo. 3dnews.ru
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