Samsung irons out the Galaxy Z Flip 6 crease and Apple may take advantage
Instead of using tough plastic film for the screen cover of its Galaxy Flip line of clamshell foldable phones, Samsung is going with the so-called ultrathin glass (UTG) made by companies like Corning or Schott.
The plastic films on the first Flips and Folds were scratched too easily, and they also became unglued at times, whereas the UTG cover is tougher and more scratch-resistant, while being almost as thin.
Pressed by immense foldable phones competition by Chinese phone makers like Oppo, however, Samsung is gradually introducing features that improve its handsets and allow them to catch up.
Oppo's clamshell and N-series of foldables, for instance, have a hinge area screen crease that is much less pronounced than on Samsung phones. In order to smooth out the Galaxy Z Flip 6 crease accordingly, Samsung has apparently decided to nearly double the thickness of its cover glass.
According to Elec's local display industry sources, Samsung will use a 50 micrometers thick UTG in order to tale full advantage of the straightening abilities of the waterdrop hinge it introduced last year.
For comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers a 30 micrometers thick glass, but Samsung plans to go even further with the Galazy Z Flip 7, which, however, will require a hinge redesign, too.
Apple is also trying to get rid of the crease, says the report, and has tasked its display suppliers Samsung and LG with ways to iron out the crease kink before it has even released a foldable iPhone in any way, shape, or form.
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