Apple gets patent for folding glass display; foldable iPhone to come sooner than expected?

Apple is getting closer to unveiling a foldable iPhone or iPad, as indicated by their latest patent approval. The new patent, titled “Electronic Devices With Durable Folding Displays,” highlights Apple’s focus on overcoming one of the biggest challenges with foldable devices: making the glass durable enough to withstand regular folding and unfolding.

Rumours about Apple working on foldable devices has been There was one questionable claim that Apple had given up on the idea, but most signs point to the opposite.

Some reports even suggest that Apple is developing two different foldable models. With countless patent applications related to foldable tech, it’s clear that Apple is investing significant effort into this area.

The newly granted patent is particularly interesting because it addresses the durability of folding glass displays. This patent doesn’t lay out the entire blueprint for a foldable iPhone or iPad, but it focuses on a critical piece of the puzzle: how to make the glass flexible without compromising its strength.

Apple’s approach involves creating a recess in the glass layer along the bend axis. This recess forms a locally thinned portion of the glass that can bend more easily. Think of it as having a thinner section of glass where the fold happens, making the whole thing more flexible. This idea could mean having two regular displays on either side of a hinge, but with the key folding points made thinner to allow for smooth bending.

Most patents tend to zero in on one primary innovation, but Apple’s patent emphasizes two main themes. First, there’s the thinning of the glass at the folding points. Second, there’s reinforcing the glass in other areas to ensure it remains durable.

Image from the granted showing where the thinned-out section of the glass would be in a foldable iPhone

The patent suggests that to make the display cover more resistant to impact, especially during drops, the corners and edges of the glass should be thicker. This means that while the centre part of the glass where the fold occurs would be thinner, the edges and corners would be beefed up to handle impacts better.

This dual approach of making the glass thinner where it needs to bend and thicker where it needs to be strong shows that Apple is thinking practically about how people use their devices. They seem to be anticipating the wear and tear that comes with folding screens and are looking for ways to make their devices more robust.

Now, it’s worth noting that Apple files thousands of patents every year. Just because a patent is granted doesn’t mean a product will definitely be made using that technology. However, the specific focus of this patent on foldable display durability strongly suggests that Apple is serious about exploring this technology.