At the 'SID Review' event held yesterday in the Yeoksam business sector of Seoul, it was revealed that Apple is currently working on a 20-inch foldable IT product project with Samsung and LG Display. This was also claimed by Samsung back in November 2022.

The Elec reports that "Apple is conducting a foldable project with Samsung Display and LG Display. Apple itself is also continuing to file foldable focused patents (01, 02, 03, 04, 05 and more).

In the industry, Apple's entry is cited as a necessary condition for expanding the foldable product market. In order to do that, it is the industry's task that the wrinkles on the inner screen of foldable products must be improved to the extent that Apple can be satisfied.

At the event held yesterday, Baek Seung-in, executive director of Samsung Display, said, "(Foldable products) have many necessary characteristics in terms of devices." His presentation covered current issues with foldable displays as noted below:

• Folding crack
• Foldable crease
• Pen drop issues
• Folding torque
• Compressive stress,
• Display buckling

Among foldable display reliability issues, wrinkles have been mentioned as an improvement task from Samsung Electronics’ first-generation foldable phone in 2019 to the present. Director Baek explained, "I've been working hard for several years (to improve wrinkles on foldable phones), but they haven't completely disappeared."

Industry interest in foldable IT products continues. Director Baek said, "In the Samsung camp, foldables are achieving their own success as a new form factor product," and “the next area of ​​interest in foldables is IT products."

More specifically, he noted that "Current laptops consist of the upper part of the screen and the lower part of the hardware and keyboard, but many companies are interested in displaying a full display that's foldable.

In the process of developing foldable products, it is also a consideration that consumers prefer glass materials for mobile product cover windows. Director Baek explained, “Since (consumers) first encountered mobile displays, there has always been glass at the top of the product.

Yet at present, IT products with large screens, ultra thin glass (UTG) has problems such as price and durability depending on production yield, so there is a prospect that transparent PI film will also have opportunities. The transparent PI film has a weakness in visibility.

With the foldable display issues noted by Samsung Display, it's understandable that Apple is developing, yet waiting for the foldable display technology to overcome standing issues. While rumors have claimed that Apple may be preparing to release a foldable 20" hybrid tablet-notebook device by 2024, the issues outlined by Samsung yesterday would suggest that such a device may take a little longer to arrive.