If you’ve ever seen a foldable phone in person, you’ve probably noticed it immediately: that visible crease right down the middle of the screen.
It’s one of the biggest reasons many people still avoid foldables. Even after years of improvements, the crease hasn’t fully gone away.
Now, new leaks suggest Apple may be taking a very different approach with its first foldable iPhone, one that could finally reduce that crease in a meaningful way.
Why foldable phones have a crease in the first place
To understand what Apple is doing, you first need to know why foldable phone screens crease at all.
Most current foldables use:
- a single layer of ultra-thin glass (UTG)
- that layer has to both bend repeatedly and protect the display
That creates a problem:
- All the stress from folding gets concentrated in one spot
- Over time, that leads to a visible crease and material fatigue
This is why even the best foldables still show a line across the display.
Apple’s rumored fix: layered glass design
According to a recent leak by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, Apple’s iPhone Fold may use a dual-layer glass structure.
Instead of one layer doing everything, Apple could use:
- two layers of ultra-thin glass (UTG or UFG)
- with the display placed between them
- and separated from direct hinge pressure
This changes how stress is handled. Instead of bending one fragile layer, the force is:
- spread across multiple layers
- reducing pressure at the fold point
- helping minimize long-term deformation
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Why this matters for crease reduction
This layered approach could solve the core issue behind foldable creases.
Here’s how:
- Less direct stress on the display = less visible crease
- Better distribution of force = improved durability over time
- Reduced hinge pressure = more consistent screen surface
In simple terms, Apple isn’t just trying to hide the crease. It’s trying to reduce the cause of the crease itself.
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Not completely crease-free, but close
It’s important to stay realistic. Recent reports suggest Apple may not fully eliminate the crease, but instead make it:
- much less noticeable
- harder to feel while scrolling
- less visible in normal lighting
That alone would be a big step forward compared to current foldables.
The bigger picture for foldable iPhones
This also explains why Apple has taken so long to enter the foldable market. Instead of rushing a product out, the company appears focused on solving fundamental issues like:
- display durability
- crease visibility
- long-term reliability
If this layered glass approach works, it could set a new standard for foldable displays.
