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Apple's long-awaited iPhone Fold has been the talk of the town lately, with dummy units showing up in the wild and even talk of a potential delay bubbling up. Now, a new report has shed light on Apple's material innovation, which is expected to make iPhone Fold's creaseless display a reality.
iPhone Fold Could Use Transparent Adhesive to Tackle the Crease Situation
A new industry supply chain report from Trendforce has highlighted the material innovation Apple is going for with the iPhone Fold. Aimed at achieving a crease-free folding display, the Cupertino brand is said to use a new version of Optically Clear Adhesive (OCA), which is not only said to eliminate the crease on the iPhone Fold at launch but also to ensure that the display is protected from long-term wear and tear.
If true, this will make the iPhone Fold (or iPhone Fold Ultra) the only commercial smartphone in existence to use heavy engineering materials. For those unaware, OCA is widely used in the heavy machinery industry to ensure structural rigidity in mechanical tools and equipment. It is an industrial-grade adhesive, which not only is super water-resistant but also benefits from being transparent.
Apple is said to use an OCA film sandwiched between two Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) layers, in order to tackle the micro-cracks and high-pressure points that form over time with continuous folding and unfolding. The thin layer of OCA adhesive will not only help the display spread the tension distribution evenly, but will also ensure a reduction in micro-cracks. This will greatly retain the crease depth and longevity, even after years of usage.
This implementation is different from the Oppo Find N6, which has achieved its creaseless folding display with a new hinge mechanism rather than incorporating a display-specific engineering. This gives the iPhone Fold a leg up, since the Find N6 will definitely show a visible crease over time. It will, in theory, not stay creaseless forever.
Hence, the OCA layer, combined with dual stacked UTGs and a liquid metal iPhone Fold hinge, Apple's first-ever foldable will be an engineering marvel without a doubt. That said, while the feat in itself is impressive, it does add engineering complexities which Apple will need to tackle before the September 2026 launch deadline.
We have already heard of the iPhone Fold launch delay due to engineering issues. Hence, all we can do now is hope for the best and expect Apple's first foldable to impress fans with its innovation.
