Samsung touts tougher foldable screen with less crease

Samsung has unveiled Flex Titanium, a new foldable display technology set to debut in the next generation of Galaxy foldables. The company says the design is more durable and makes the crease less noticeable, with a likely launch at Samsung Unpacked on July 22.

Samsung said the technology was built on “seven generations of foldable innovation and engineering expertise,” strongly pointing to its arrival in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8.

What Samsung changed

The company developed two components for the new display structure:

• A titanium alloy film beneath the OLED panel, which Samsung says delivers 20 times greater mechanical stiffness
• A titanium plate underneath that, designed to support the display when unfolded while keeping the flexibility needed for repeated folding

Samsung also says the new titanium plate removes “air gaps between the module and [its] adhesive through advanced hole processing technology.”

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Samsung’s durability claim

According to Kyung-Jin Yoo, EVP for Samsung Display, the “micro-patterned holes” in the folding section of the titanium plate provide “flexibility with robust durability.”

That combination matters because foldables still face two persistent complaints: long-term durability and the visible crease that runs down the middle of the screen.

A crease reduction test is coming soon

Samsung is expected to reveal its next foldables at Unpacked next week, so it will not take long to see whether the company’s claims hold up in shipping hardware.

There is already some supporting evidence, at least from Samsung’s earlier demos. At CES earlier this year, the company showed a “seamless” foldable display exhibit with an invisible crease at the center. Next to it, a Samsung phone using older display technology looked far rougher, with a crease that was clearly visible.

A separate leak has added to that expectation. 9to5Google reported a leaked video of what is purported to be the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the device in that footage appears to have a very smooth screen with no visible crease.

If Samsung’s production hardware matches those demos and leaks, the company may finally be close to addressing one of the most obvious visual tradeoffs in foldable phones.