If rumors are to be believed, the main reason Apple has yet to release a foldable iPhone is that it has failed to create a design that meets its high standards for quality and durability, But a new patent suggests the company may have made progress in this area by designing a foldable screen that can heal itself when scratched or dented.
Called Electronic Devices with Flexible Display Cover Layers, the patent (number 11991901) explains how the screen of a foldable device could be made up of three main parts: two rigid displays and a flexible section that connects them. A self-healing element could be infused into this device, either on the entire display section or just in the flex area. The former would provide more comprehensive coverage against damages, but would likely also be more expensive.
While Apple doesn’t offer many details on how exactly the self-healing property works, the patent suggests it might contain an “elastomer layer.” This material is stretchy but can return to its original shape, which seems to be a useful aspect of a self-healing foldable screen.
Another interesting element of the patent is Apple’s claim that the phone’s screen could repair itself “without prompting.” Yet self-healing could also “be initiated or accelerated by an external application of heat, light, electric current, or any other type of external stimulus.” In this case, the screen may contain transparent conductors that form a “heating layer” that warms the self-healing material so that it can repair itself.
Apple isn’t just talking about foldable devices and says the technology could be used in laptops, watches, a “hanging device” and other small products. It might not even find its way into foldable devices, as Apple says it would also be useful in a single rigid screen, like that of a computer.
A revolutionary technology?
We’ve seen Apple working on this technology before, and it could potentially be a major breakthrough for the company and its folding efforts. The company is known for taking a perfectionist stance on its new devices, but while that attitude has helped it build a reputation for quality, it also means it’s less willing to release a product it doesn’t judge significantly better than the competition (case in point: AirPower), meaning it often sits on the sidelines while its rivals venture into uncharted territory.
Rather than rushing to market with a flawed product, Apple is happy to be patient and wait until it feels like it’s created a winning product, and that poses more problems when it comes to ‘foldable devices, as their very nature leads to creases and damage. on screen are difficult to avoid.
With this new patent, Apple could perhaps have the cake and eat it. It would be able to produce a foldable iPhone that would not only resist damage to its screen – which can be a problem for all phones, foldable or not – but would also be able to repair that damage itself, allowing users to ‘avoid imperfections for longer.
It could also win Apple some points with regulators at institutions like the European Union (EU), which closely scrutinizes the repairability of popular tech products. If Apple can claim that its devices are self-repairing, that might take some of the pressure off.
Since this is a patent, there is no guarantee that Apple will ever incorporate it into an existing product. But the company has filed numerous patents regarding foldable technology, and numerous rumors have surfaced claiming devices are in the works, so don’t be surprised if it one day shows up.
