Now that foldable smartphones are out in the market, fans are wondering if and when Apple will release a folding iPhone. According to a recent report, a release may not be very far from happening.
According to MacRumors, Corning, the company behind the Gorilla Glass used in many smartphone brands especially Apple, is working on a foldable glass design, one that's thin enough for iPhones, yet tough enough to withstand falls and daily use.
Corning general manager John Bayne, in an interview with Wired, said they are currently looking for ways to create a bendable glass that has a very tight bend radius, yet still be able to resist breaking or cracking from continued bending and also resist damage from falling.
Bayne said they are targeting a 3- to 5-millimeter bend radii for their 0.1mm thin glass. This will allow a foldable phone to have about 6mm to 10mm thickness when folded. For reference, the iPhone XS is only 7.7mm thick, The Verge noted. Should Corning succeed, Apple's foldable might just be as thick as their current flagship.
Wired says Corning is combining their lessons learned from creating Willow Glass and Gorilla Glass. Willow Glass bends and can be rolled up, while Gorilla Glass features exceptional strength seen in the toughest of iPhones. The problem here, however, lies in the process.
While Gorilla Glass is created using an ion-exchange method, Willow Glass requires being submerged in a molten salt solution to become bendable. Salt, however, isn't good for electronic components such as transistors found in displays as it corrodes them. As it is, Willow Glass cannot be used for foldable smartphones.
Corning is currently looking for ways to combine Gorilla Glass-strength and Willow Glass flexibility. Bayne said they already gave samples to some companies, but while these samples are functional, they fall short of the clients' expectations and requirements.
To help with the development, Apple granted Corning $200 million out of its Advanced Manufacturing Fund. With the budget and their progress considered, Bayne says Corning just might be ready to release their foldable glass in a couple of years. And with their flexible glass ready, Apple can be expected to release a foldable soon too.
Better than plastics
Current foldable smartphones from Samsung, Huawei, and others make use of plastic polymers to achieve bendability. Plastic, however, is an inferior material compared to glass as it scratches and gets wrinkled with usage. A bendable glass cover avoids these problems and makes these devices last longer.
What's more, with glass being more scratch resistant than plastic, it will make foldable smartphones look better longer.
