Apple's iPhone Fold will fix the biggest problem with foldable devices

Apple has long been rumored to be quietly working on a foldable smartphone, and with multiple independent industry insiders confirming its existence, it appears the upcoming smartphone is all but officially announced.

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At the beginning of the month, reports surfaced that Apple was closing in on a display supplier for its upcoming foldable smartphone, presumably called the iPhone Fold. According to sources, Apple has a laundry list of technical requirements for the foldable display, which includes impact resistance and crease prevention. According to an insider who spoke to ETNews, Apple has made the decision to "eliminate creases completely, regardless of cost, in order to differentiate their foldable phone from existing models."

The insider told the publication Samsung Display will provide the foldable screen, and that Apple has been working with Samsung Display since last year on the design for the upcoming display, ensuring it meets all of Apple's technical requirements. According to the publication, Apple has acquired new materials to "make the crease disappear" and has taken a different approach to overcoming the crease problem by taking a step back perspective of the entire design of display, its materials, the hinge, and the smartphone body.

Moreover, Apple has been reportedly encouraging component manufacturers to work closely together on the project.

"Apple has decided to eliminate display creases regardless of cost, differentiating itself from existing foldable phones." The source added, "They have used new materials to make the crease disappear."

The report states Apple has selected Corning as the leading candidate for supplying raw glass sheets for the cover glass of the foldable iPhone, which isn't surprising considering Apple has been working with the company for quite some time on current iPhone models. Additionally, Amphenol, a US-based electronics company, has reportedly been selected to provide the hinge, which is a company that is already part of Apple's supply chain for its devices as it provides hinges for the MacBook Pro.

Judging by this report, Apple is almost at the finish line for selecting the component suppliers for its upcoming iPhone Foldable, and once the players are selected, the device will enter production. Previous reports stated that Apple paused development on a foldable iPhone as engineers were having trouble meeting the specific technical requirements for the device, with one of the main issues being the crease, which has seemingly now been solved, but also the depth of the device.

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One of Apple's stipulations is the foldable iPhone needs to be extremely thin, so that when it is folded together, it doesn't feel too bulky. However, these previous reports stated engineers were struggling to integrate batteries into this thin device, resulting in development being halted.

But that doesn't seem to be the case as rumors for a foldable iPhone have been heating up as of late, even with Apple insider and industry analyst Mark Gurman writing in a recent Power On newsletter that Apple is expected to launch a foldable device as early as next year.