Apple seems to be working hard to ensure it doesn’t repeat Samsung’s mistakes when it launches the iPhone Fold. A new report says the company is considering using a new built-in screen protector with exceptional surface hardness and scratch resistance.
This follows an earlier report about another step Apple is said to be taking to maximize the robustness of the upcoming model…
The problem with foldable phones
Foldable phones present a whole new set of vulnerabilities to both internal and external damage. These vulnerabilities include:
- Crease at the folding point of the display
- The rest of the ultra-thin glass display
- Hinge mechanism
- Flat cables connecting both sides
Notable among these is the risk of dust and other trapped debris getting between the two sides of the display when the phone is folded, leading to cracks, while foldable screens are also more prone to shattering when the device is dropped. That was one of several problems with the notoriously disastrous launch of the original Samsung Galaxy Fold.
A report earlier this week suggested that Apple would introduce new button placement to reduce the risk of flat cables being damaged during folding. Now the new one says that the company is paying equal attention to the robustness of the display surface.
How Apple can protect the display
Folding screens require the use of so-called ultra-thin glass (UTG). As the name suggests, this flexible material is significantly more vulnerable than regular phone displays to physical impacts and shock damage, such as dropping the device, even when folded.
The Elec reports that Apple is currently reviewing the possibility of using a much tougher built-in screen protector than the one used on Samsung’s foldable devices. Samsung uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film as a built-in screen protector, but Apple is reportedly considering adding an additional layer of protection known as polyimide (PI) film.
According to various industry sources, Apple is reportedly considering both PET film and transparent PI film as protective materials for the UTG of its folding products (…)
Apple’s consideration of transparent PI film as a protective layer over UTG appears to be a differentiating strategy, unlike Samsung Electronics. An industry insider explained, “Transparent PI film is more expensive than PET film, but its higher surface hardness makes it more scratch-resistant.”
Meanwhile, Samsung is adding more wrinkles.
Photo by Yue Ma on Unsplash
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