Apple will supposedly launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, a phone we’ve been calling the iPhone Fold on account of its presumed design. The phone will fold like a book, which is the design Samsung first used for a foldable of its own, called the Galaxy Z Fold. Since then, many Chinese smartphone vendors released Fold-type phones.
When the iPhone Fold arrives, Apple might do something that Samsung and other Chinese companies haven’t really been able to do. Apple might release a foldable phone with an almost perfect foldable screen. That is, the foldable display might be creaseless, with Apple having reportedly spared no expense to fix this foldable phone design compromise.
That’s according to a report from Korea that claims Apple will finalize its supply chain for the first-gen iPhone Fold this year, with component manufacturing to start by the end of the year.
Apple’s purported manufacturing plans for the iPhone Fold come from ETNews. The Korean outlet has learned that supplier selection is imminent, as Apple managed to improve the display crease significantly. By April, Apple should have chosen the suppliers that would manufacture key iPhone Fold components.
This development suggests that Apple will indeed release a foldable iPhone next year, matching claims from other recent rumors.
Samsung will be the sole manufacturer of that nearly creaseless display. Apple reportedly worked only with Samsung since last year. Apparently, it’s only Samsung Display that managed to deliver a screen that matches Apple’s needs.
That means Samsung might be the first company to significantly improve the foldable display crease. As a reminder, the Galaxy Z Fold SE has a significantly reduced crease. The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 should be based on the same design. It’s unclear, however, if Samsung is using the same innovations on its own phones.
Unsurprisingly, Apple had strict technical requirements from Samsung on how to fix the display crease.
“Apple has made the decision to eliminate creases completely, regardless of cost, in order to differentiate their foldable phone from existing models,” an insider told the outlet. “It is understood that they have successfully achieved this by using new materials that prevent creases from forming on the display.” It’s unclear what these materials are.
The report provides another interesting detail about the iPhone Fold design. Fixing the crease doesn’t mean fixing only the foldable screen. It also means looking at how the screen connects to the hinge below it and the ultra-thin glass at the top.
Apparently, Apple has found a way to prevent creasing by looking at the problem holistically. The report also says Apple has encouraged cooperation between the various parts suppliers.
Samsung will provide the foldable OLED panel for the iPhone Fold. Amphenol, which manufactures hinges for MacBook Pros, has been tapped to make the iPhone Fold’s hinge.
Apple will reportedly use Corning cover screens, likely for the external display. The foldable screen will get ultra-thin glass covers, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold models. Samsung might provide UTG tech, though Apple is reportedly working with other components.
A foldable display with no crease will surely offer Apple an advantage over rivals next year. That’s assuming Samsung and others won’t come up with almost creaseless foldable phone screens themselves. It’s not just the Galaxy Z Fold SE that might feature a smaller crease. The recently launched Oppo Find N5 also supposedly features a smaller crease.
The crease might not be the only thing that sets the iPhone Fold apart. Recent reports from China have revealed the purported screen sizes for the foldable iPhone. They suggest the phone will be much shorter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. When opened, this phone would look a lot like an iPad mini.
