Foldable displays are the future, and the latest foldable devices from Samsung more than proves it. However, at the moment, there are two glaring issues with foldable phones today. You are looking at a crease that stares at you, and secondly, the display is made out of a plastic layer on top of the screen that is a lot softer than glass. However, LG Chem has now announced a new type of cover material that promises to fix this issue.
The company has revealed its "Real Folding Window" technology just now. It takes a specially developed coating that goes on top of the thin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic film. LG Chem has talked about how the material is thinner than existing tempered glass but has the same hardness while being flexible as plastic at the same time.
The Latest Folding Tech from LG Could Make Foldable Phones a Lot More Desirable
An LG spokesperson said the following,
Unlike existing polyimide films and tempered glass-type materials, the cover window that applied LG Chem’s new coating technologies will maximize flexibility, while also providing optimized solutions for foldable phones such as making improvements to chronic issues like fold impressions on the connecting part of the screen.
According to LG Chem, the durability is "maintain completely" after the Real Folding Window is folded 200,000 times. The company also adds that the tech can be used for both in-folding and out-folding displays. The solution also delivers major improvements to "fold lines," which are common on the folding areas of the screen. In simpler terms, it means that you can see a reduction in the crease.
LG has also talked about how it is working to offer a special coating without plastic film. This will open doors for the manufacturers who are looking to make their foldable phone designs even stronger.
The caveat here is that we will not be seeing this technology until next year, as LG Chem has said that it will only reach mass-production capabilities by 2022, and "full-scale" sales will start from 2023. They have also talked about how they are looking to expand this technology beyond phones and apply it to tablets and laptops. Last but not least, the company has also claimed that it has received proposals from multiple clients about a joint project.
If this technology takes off, this could revolutionize the folding phone market and all in a good way. Let us know your thoughts. Will this finally make you buy a foldable phone?
About the author: I have been tinkering with Android devices ever since the early days of the HTC Desire. Over time, I have grown a fondness for the ecosystem and now I cannot live without it. Although some might believe that I have sold my soul to Android, but I believe it is not the case. You can find me writing tutorials and posting guides on a number of different smartphones. When I am not writing here, I am wasting myself away in books, journals, or on Steam.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
