Render from Otofly
While the novelty of foldable phones has mostly worn off, they have become a staple for major smartphone brands. In that sense, Apple is late to the party, as it won't release its foldable iPhone till next year. However, sources believe they know what screen it would use.
Samsung's hinge for Apple's foldable
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is likely to use Samsung Display's foldable display for its 2026 foldable iPhone. Specifically, Apple could adopt a "crease-free" display from Fine M-Tec, a supplier of display metal plates (internal metal hinges) for Samsung Display. The analyst also mentioned that mass production for this device will start in 2H 2026.
As you probably know, foldable smartphones typically have a crease in the centre of the display where it folds. However, the display metal plates supplied by Fine M-Tec can minimise this problem. According to Kuo, these plates can "distribute and control bending stress" to lower the chances of creasing.
Over 13 million foldables in 2026?
Kuo's report also claimed that Fine M-Tec plans to ship the display metal plates for the foldable iPhone in Q1 2026. The company is also expected to ship 13-15 million display metal plates in 2026. This number likely includes the units for Samsung's foldables, as well as other companies that have adopted Fine M-Tec's solution (like Apple).
Besides the hinge, Samsung also manufactures OLED displays for iPhones. As such, the foldable iPhone might also source its foldable display from Samsung. Of course, 2H 2026 is still a year from now, so some things could change.
Regardless, what kind of specs and features would you like to see from Apple's foldable? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.
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