iPhone Fold Display Finalized, But Hinge And Battery Still Hold It Back

Apple’s first foldable iPhone has not even been announced, yet it already feels like one of the company’s most scrutinized projects in years. Among all of its moving parts, literally and figuratively, the display is emerging as the centerpiece of the story.

According to a new round of leaks, the screen for the so-called iPhone Fold has reportedly been locked in, its assembly process defined, and Foxconn is said to have an entire line prepared to build it. Other core components, however, are still holding the device back from mass production.

Before diving into the details, it is worth underlining that we are still firmly in the realm of rumors. Based on what has surfaced so far, the overall credibility sits in the ‘plausible’ bracket: roughly a 60 percent chance that the information reflects Apple’s current internal plans. Source reliability lands around the middle of the pack, corroboration from other leakers is thin, but the technical claims and timeline both line up with what we know about Apple’s usual development cadence.

The headline claim is simple but significant: the foldable OLED panel design has been finalized. Apple is reportedly pursuing a crease-minimizing or nearly crease-free display, an area where many competitors have made progress but not perfection. Achieving this requires a careful balance between the panel’s flexibility, its protective layers, and the mechanical behavior of the hinge underneath. Leaks continue to point to Samsung Display as the exclusive supplier for both the main folding screen and the outer cover display, at least in these current prototypes.

Early hardware specifications suggest that the inner OLED measures around 7.74 inches when opened, putting the device in compact tablet territory, while the cover display allegedly comes in at approximately 5.49 inches diagonally. Those numbers are attached to engineering samples, not retail hardware, so they remain subject to change if Apple tweaks the device’s ergonomics, weight distribution, or bezel sizes during later validation phases. Still, having stable display dimensions at this stage usually signals that the company is confident in the basic form factor.

Foxconn’s reported preparation of a dedicated assembly line for the display module is another strong signal that the panel is nearing production readiness. When an Apple manufacturing partner reserves factory space and tooling for a specific component, it typically means the design has matured beyond the experimental stage. That does not guarantee an imminent launch, but it does show that the display is no longer the bottleneck.

The same cannot yet be said for the hinge. Multiple reports over the last year have painted the hinge as Apple’s biggest headache on the foldable iPhone project. The company is said to be exploring a liquid metal alloy for parts of the mechanism in order to deliver high durability without adding too much bulk or play to the fold. This choice should, in theory, make the hinge resistant to deformation and capable of surviving years of opening, closing, and accidental pressure.

Internally, Apple is believed to have solved most of the mechanical challenges, including bringing the cost of the hinge component down to an estimated range of 70 to 80 US dollars per unit. For a company that watches its bill of materials carefully, that is still a premium part, which explains why Apple is reportedly cautious about pushing it straight onto a high-volume production line. Any hidden flaw in the hinge design would not only be expensive, it would be catastrophic for the reputation of the very first foldable iPhone.

The battery system adds another layer of complexity. Prototypes are said to be using packs in the 5,400 to 5,800 mAh range, which is relatively large by iPhone standards but understandable for a device powering two sizable OLED panels and a demanding hinge mechanism. Foldable devices experience stresses traditional phones never see: torsion when the frame is twisted, local pressure when users press down on the fold, and tiny misalignments between internal components over time. Each of these factors raises the stakes around battery safety.

Apple is therefore being extremely conservative in signing off on a final battery design and choosing a supplier. With so many moving parts inside the chassis, even a tiny shift in tolerances could, in a worst-case scenario, lead to a battery pouch being squeezed or punctured. That scenario is rare, but it is not theoretical. One recent example involved Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold in a well-known durability test by JerryRigEverything, where extreme bending led to a dramatic battery failure and visible flames. Incidents like that are exactly what Apple is determined to avoid with its first attempt at a folding iPhone.

From a broader industry perspective, Apple’s caution is unsurprising. Foldable smartphones have improved rapidly, yet they still come with trade-offs in durability, thickness, and repairability. Apple tends to be late rather than early to emerging hardware categories, entering only when it believes it can solve the most glaring user experience issues. In this case, that means a hinge that feels sturdy but smooth, a display that does not show an obvious crease down the middle, and a battery system that remains safe even after thousands of folds and the occasional accidental sit, drop, or twist.

All of this explains why, despite the encouraging progress on the display and its assembly line, the iPhone Fold still does not look ready to hit mass production. Until Apple is satisfied that the hinge can be manufactured at scale without nasty surprises and that the final battery supplier can meet its strict quality thresholds, the project will almost certainly stay in the prototype and validation phase.

For now, then, the picture looks like this: the screen is effectively locked in, Foxconn is gearing up to build it, and Samsung appears set to remain in charge of the OLED panels. The hinge and battery, however, are still evolving pieces of a very complex puzzle. The rumor score sits at ‘plausible’ rather than ‘probable’, but the direction of travel is clear: Apple is quietly, methodically getting closer to a foldable iPhone that does not just follow the market, but aims to outdo it on reliability and refinement. The next meaningful leaks to watch for will be those that finally pin down the hinge design and confirm which battery suppliers have made the cut.