Apple wants to own strategic technologies before entering the foldable phone market

Many experts predict that foldable smartphones will become a “must-have” product for all major phone brands, and will promote the launch of the next high-end products. As a giant in the industry, Apple will of course not be out of that trend.

Recent reports have suggested that Apple is looking to differentiate itself technologically from its rivals before officially entering the foldable smartphone market. The company has been absent from the foldable phone market, which has grown significantly over the past few years.

While Samsung remains the leader in the foldable phone category overall, other Android manufacturers are also making big strides. Huawei, for example, recently shocked the world by announcing a smartphone that can fold into three pieces. Apple is also said to be looking to control some of these unique aspects of its products to gain a strategic competitive advantage over its rivals.

Previously, it was reported that Samsung Display, a display manufacturing unit of Samsung Electronics, would supply panels for the foldable iPhone. Rumors also suggested that Apple could launch the first foldable iPhone with a clamshell design in 2026. However, a later report said that Apple wanted to address the screen crease issue before launching the product, a drawback that even Samsung has not found a way to completely fix. Therefore, Apple's plan to launch a foldable phone may be delayed until 2027.

Now, the latest report from Kipost shows that UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass), a key component of foldable screens that is mainly manufactured by Samsung Display, is an area that Apple wants to have more control over. Not only ultra-thin glass, but Apple also wants to develop its own back cover, another important component of foldable phones that supports the screen. This component must be very durable so that foldable phones can be used for a longer time.

Furthermore, Apple is concerned that relying too heavily on one display manufacturer could limit the uniqueness of its products compared to its competitors. Since Apple is entering the market so late, at least the wait for iFans should be rewarded with a unique product, or at least something worth owning.