Apple’s Foldable iPhone: Crease Problem Remains

Apple’s long-awaited foldable iPhone might finally arrive next year – but not in the way fans had hoped. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has been struggling to create a foldable iPhone with a completely crease-free display, a goal that now appears out of reach.

Instead, the company has shifted from on-cell touch technology to in-cell touch displays, which reduces the crease but doesn’t erase it entirely.

For years, Apple hesitated to enter the foldable market, reportedly holding back until it could deliver a version that looked flawless. The company’s ambition to deliver a seamless screen became a roadblock, while rivals like Samsung pushed ahead with models such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Even with a less pronounced crease, leaks suggest Apple’s first foldable will trail behind Samsung’s latest devices in terms of design maturity.

Some reports claim Apple is building one of the most advanced hinges ever made for a smartphone, but even the best engineering hasn’t solved the display crease problem. Gurman and other industry sources say Apple has now conceded that a fully smooth foldable screen is simply not possible with current technology.

This raises the question of who exactly the foldable iPhone is for. With Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold already dominating the market, Apple’s first folding handset may end up appealing primarily to diehard iPhone loyalists rather than redefining the category. Apple’s ability to spin this narrative through marketing will likely decide whether the foldable iPhone is seen as a breakthrough or just an overdue catch-up attempt.