The foldable smartphone market has long since ceased to be new, but it appears that Apple plans to enter it only when it succeeds in solving one of the most troubling issues of the category: The visible crease in the center of the screen. A new leak coming from the leaker Fixed Focus Digital on the social network Weibo sheds light on the technical specifications of the company’s first foldable screen from Cupertino, and paints a picture of a device that could change the rules of the game in terms of build quality.
According to the disclosed data, Apple has managed to achieve unprecedented control over the depth of the crease and the angle of its fold. The leaker claims that the depth of the crease is controlled to a level of less than 0.15 mm, with a folding angle lower than 2.5 degrees. To put this into perspective, the thickness of a standard sheet of paper stands at about 0.1 mm. The meaning is that users may slide a finger across the screen and feel a bump that is almost negligible – less than two layers of a sheet of paper placed one on top of the other.
These data align with previous reports by media outlets such as UDN, which claimed that Apple reached a technological breakthrough that would allow it to present a completely smooth “iPhone Fold.” This is a complex engineering challenge, since an especially tight folding radius requires very high material durability in order to prevent damage to the screen over time, while maintaining a clean aesthetic.
Beyond the dry technical specifications, the report also carries significant news regarding the timetable. The leaker claims that the production lines have already received official orders for Apple’s foldable screen components, and that the launch of the device is supposedly already confirmed for the current year. If the information proves accurate, it appears that Apple has met its internal schedules and the production process is on the right track toward an official unveiling. The overall product quality is defined in the report as “strong,” indicating that Apple will not compromise on its well-known standards even in the new format.