Cupertino Giant Apple is looking forward to launch a foldable iPhone or a foldable iPad in the near future and this is not something of a secret. The company has now owned a patent on the folding technology. The technology prevents the display from creasing and this is what makes us surprise about it. As mentioned by Patently Apple, the foldable display is thinned at the folding area through chemical processing and there might be different materials used to keep the area smooth.
Industry experts from Korea have opined that the launch of the foldable iPad or iPhone might be as near as 2026. However, this is quite contrary to Apple’s Ming-Chi Kuo’s claim that Apple’s first product with foldable screen will be the 20.3” MacBook that will be scheduled for 2027.
According to the claim of the patent, the grooves in the display area can be countered with a transparent cover layer that overlaps the display panel. There might be the formation of an elongated groove or other recess in the layer of glass that runs parallel to the axis that is bending. It also overlaps the bend axis.
The thinned portion will be strengthened by a polymer that is deposited as a liquid in the groove. The groove is formed from the thinned portion and is later cured by UV light, heat, catalyst, and other techniques.
As revealed by the patent, the entire composition of the glass might have to be changed. This means that the sodium in the glass at the surface might be replaced by potassium. This will help create compressive stress in the surface layers and allow resist scratching.
