Apple’s interest in foldable technology is not new, as the company has been granted many patents in recent years related to the technology. The latest patent, which has been granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office, describes a foldable screen designed to be crack and shatter resistant. This could address one of the main issues with foldable devices, which is their fragility.
Apple gets a new patent
The patent, patent number US-20230011092-A1, relates to a screen consisting of multiple layers, including a flexible substrate, a thin film transistor, and a protective layer. The protective layer is designed to prevent cracks in the flexible backing, which is the most vulnerable part of the screen.
In addition to the crack-resistant screen, Apple also patented a self-healing screen. This technology will allow the screen to recover from small scratches, which is another common problem with foldable devices.
Will Apple launch foldable devices?
While many experts believe that a foldable iPhone is unlikely, there have been reports of a foldable iPad. This will allow Apple to experiment with and improve the technology before launching a foldable iPhone. And the foldable iPad will also be less of a risk for the company, as the iPad is a less important product in Apple’s portfolio than the iPhone is.
With more and more companies entering the foldable market, including Google with the upcoming Pixel Fold, it seems likely that we will see a foldable device from Apple in the near future. This new and previous patent on self-healing screens is likely to be a key factor in the development of Apple’s foldable device, bringing greater durability and reliability to the foldable form factor.
Do you think Apple will surprise its users with a foldable phone?
