One of the key design differences separating the iPhone Fold from the rest of the pack is that it has been reported to feature a crease-free inner display, with Apple previously reported to have achieved this milestone. However, it appears that some technical challenges still linger, preventing the company from achieving a clean aesthetic that giants like Samsung have failed to perfect, despite introducing devices like the triple-folding Galaxy Z TriFold. To address the hurdles that stand in Apple's path, a tipster reveals that the latter is testing Ultra-Thin Flexible Glass technology (UFG), but it could take months to refine this component.
Shortly after providing details about the prototype version of the iPhone Fold lacking Face ID but featuring a side-mounted Touch ID sensor instead, Digital Chat Station has returned with yet another claim that aims to bury Apple's monumental achievement of having successfully obtained a crease-free design. To circumvent this seemingly unscalable obstacle, the Cupertino firm is said to be testing various UFGs of varying thickness.
Since the inner display is made up of thin glass, it is incredibly soft and prone to scuffs and scratches, so Apple needs to find the right balance between durability and being able to close the iPhone Fold without the UFG presenting many problems. Based on the tipster's claims, there are still some technical challenges that need to be addressed, but since the iPhone Fold is not expected to launch until next September, Apple has plenty of time to sort out this design mess.
In addition to the California-based titan, two unnamed Chinese manufacturers are testing the same UFG technology on future devices, with the rumor claiming that upcoming foldable smartphones are also being tested with wider displays. Strangely, there is no mention of Samsung adopting Ultra-Thin Flexible Glass technology, so there's no way to tell whether the Korean firm wishes to eliminate creases from its future releases.
Luckily, the aforementioned Chinese companies want to trade blows with Apple and its iPhone Fold, and given that Huawei launched the world's first triple-folding smartphone, the Mate XT, we're more than inclined to believe that this manufacturer is pursuing a crease-free design for future foldables too.
Apple's technical hurdles signal that the company's engineers aim to perfect the iPhone Fold's design before the official launch, but a separate report stated that there were only minor adjustments remaining. Hopefully, we won't witness another delay in 2026, though TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that the iPhone Fold's shipments might only smooth out in 2027.