Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

[MacRumors]

CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison.

The existing display used in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 does an impressive job of reducing crease visibility, but crucially it can still be seen at certain viewing angles. In contrast, Samsung Display claims that the newer panel, rumored to be for the upcoming Z Fold 8, offers "seamless text across the fold" whichever way you look at it – which is good news for Apple, given that Samsung is the company's main supplier of OLED technology.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in July that Samsung's next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 8 will use the same laser-drilled metal display plate as the foldable iPhone, with the component to be supplied by South Korean company Fine M-Tec. The laser-drilled metal plate is responsible for dispersing the stress generated by bending, allowing for the "crease-free" screen. It's worth noting that the panel structure, lamination method, and material process used for the foldable iPhone is said to have been designed by Apple, so we should still expect differences compared to the Z Fold 8's display that was on show here.

The same goes for the dimensions of the display that Apple uses. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold 7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18 aspect ratio when open. In contrast, rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ Fold's display will measure in at 5.3 to 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.5 to 7.8 inches when open (rumors vary). That will make it squatter and wider than Samsung's taller, narrower design, giving it a 4:3 aspect ratio when open.

Samsung gave no reason for removing the test booth so early on at CES. Regardless, Apple's stricter crease-free requirements for its foldable iPhone appear to have raised the bar for both foldable devices. Whether those advances also translate into improved long-term durability should become clearer in the coming months. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is widely expected to launch this summer, while Apple's foldable iPhone is expected to enter mass production this year and launch later, around mid-September.

Update: Samsung reached out to MacRumors after publication of this article to clarify that the crease-less foldable OLED panel showcased at CES 2026 was presented strictly as an R&D concept. Samsung has not stated, nor indicated, that this panel will be applied to a future Galaxy Z Fold product, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Samsung's representative also said that the booth setup's removal happened to coincide with the timing of a particular media tour, and had been shown to multiple groups throughout the day.

Article Link: Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

 

[The Game 161]

Can't wait for the foldable iPhone. Great progress has been made with these displays for sure..

More leaks there are the more I can't wait to buy it. Foldable iPhone will certainly be apple's focus on 2026

 

[MayaUser]

if the foldable iphone will use only iOS....it will fail..
we need iOS+ipadOS along side the apps that take advantage of the bigger different aspect ratio

 

[wanha]

sounds like mankind's eternal war against wrinkles is about to claim another (hollow) victory

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I already have a hard time justifying $1000 for a new phone every 4-5 years. I can’t imagine what the Apple tax price will be for a foldable.

 

[-BigMac-]

Oh, cool. Another ‘revolutionary’ foldable Phone.

Because what I’ve always dreamed of is carrying a fragile, bendy, pocket-stabbing piece of origami that I have to treat like it’s made of glass fairy dust. Newsflash: I don’t want a foldable phone - I want a solid, unkillable slab of iPhone glory with a multiday battery and a screen that doesn’t even know what a bezel is.

Foldable? Cute.

You mean you wanted an iPad that you can accidentally snap in half? Apple, just make the iPhone Pro PRO. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just give me a phone that feels like it’s worth the $2k without praying to a tech god every time I pull it out of my pocket

 

[headlessmike]

Oh, cool. Another ‘revolutionary’ foldable Phone.

Because what I’ve always dreamed of is carrying a fragile, bendy, pocket-stabbing piece of origami that I have to treat like it’s made of glass fairy dust. Newsflash: I don’t want a foldable phone - I want a solid, unkillable slab of iPhone glory with a multiday battery and a screen that doesn’t even know what a bezel is.

Foldable? Cute.

You mean you wanted an iPad that you can accidentally snap in half? Apple, just make the iPhone Pro PRO. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just give me a phone that feels like it’s worth the $2k without praying to a tech god every time I pull it out of my pocket

Agreed. I won't buy a touch screen device unless it has a thick tempered glass lens on its display (thick enough to not flex when pressing on it). I reckon that making that is the real challenge.

 

[dannys1]

Oh, cool. Another ‘revolutionary’ foldable Phone.

Because what I’ve always dreamed of is carrying a fragile, bendy, pocket-stabbing piece of origami that I have to treat like it’s made of glass fairy dust. Newsflash: I don’t want a foldable phone - I want a solid, unkillable slab of iPhone glory with a multiday battery and a screen that doesn’t even know what a bezel is.

Foldable? Cute.

You mean you wanted an iPad that you can accidentally snap in half? Apple, just make the iPhone Pro PRO. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just give me a phone that feels like it’s worth the $2k without praying to a tech god every time I pull it out of my pocket

Yeah, it doesn't remotely appeal to me - I keep buying iPads and then NEVER use them. They get charged up a handful of times a year, and I update the apps and OS. For some reason, I thought I’d use the iPad mini and bought it - and I don't.

I guess this sort of device appeals more to Gen Z and maybe ironically, Boomers. They can have a bigger display and perhaps do everything they used their iPad for on one device. Gen Z seems hell-bent on consuming media on the biggest phone screen they can get hold of, so it'll suit them (still, everything they consume seems to be portrait, so I’m not sure how much use a large 4:3 screen is going to be to them).

I'm happy with my iPhone Pro, but I’d pick an iPhone Air over a fold any day.

 

[The Game 161]

Thing for me is using a foldable as one device is just simply better than any slab phone.

Only thing that makes slab phones better is better cameras. Everything you do on a phone will be better on this foldable iPhone.

Maybe if iPhone pro cameras were better this would be a harder decision to stick with a slab phone. If it had Chinese hardware for cameras that’s a more difficult decision

 

[darngooddesign]

Oh, cool. Another ‘revolutionary’ foldable Phone.

Because what I’ve always dreamed of is carrying a fragile, bendy, pocket-stabbing piece of origami that I have to treat like it’s made of glass fairy dust. Newsflash: I don’t want a foldable phone - I want a solid, unkillable slab of iPhone glory with a multiday battery and a screen that doesn’t even know what a bezel is.

Foldable? Cute.

You mean you wanted an iPad that you can accidentally snap in half? Apple, just make the iPhone Pro PRO. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just give me a phone that feels like it’s worth the $2k without praying to a tech god every time I pull it out of my pocket

Some people are incapable of takeing care of nice things.

Not sure why the iPhonebook has you so triggered, you can still buy a slab iPhone Pro.

 

[Reywas]

Yeah, it doesn't remotely appeal to me - I keep buying iPads and then NEVER use them. They get charged up a handful of times a year, and I update the apps and OS. For some reason, I thought I’d use the iPad mini and bought it - and I don't.

I guess this sort of device appeals more to Gen Z and maybe ironically, Boomers. They can have a bigger display and perhaps do everything they used their iPad for on one device. Gen Z seems hell-bent on consuming media on the biggest phone screen they can get hold of, so it'll suit them (still, everything they consume seems to be portrait, so I’m not sure how much use a large 4:3 screen is going to be to them).

I'm happy with my iPhone Pro, but I’d pick an iPhone Air over a fold any day.

I am a boomer, use my iPad Mini, and I don’t want this thing. I need a pocket-sized phone that’s not fragile, but can handle the apps I need. This is more Apple tech fairy dust.

 

[ThailandToo]

What is a squatter display? Haha

 

[wonderings]

I am a boomer, use my iPad Mini, and I don’t want this thing. I need a pocket-sized phone that’s not fragile, but can handle the apps I need. This is more Apple tech fairy dust.

A shame you are going to be forced to buy this then. I on the other hand would love to have one device that is my phone and is an iPad that still fits in my pocket.

 

[Eminemdrdre00]

if the foldable iphone will use only iOS....it will fail..
we need iOS+ipadOS along side the apps that take advantage of the bigger different aspect ratio

I think it'd pretty obvious it'll run iPadOS when it's opened. It will have a 4:3 aspect ratio just like the iPad. That's no coincidence.

 

[-BigMac-]

Some people are incapable to take care of nice things.

Not sure why the iPhonebook has you so triggered, you can still buy a slab iPhone Pro.

Darngooddesign, bless your little foldable fantasies. It’s not about ‘taking care’ of nice things - it’s about not paying $2k to babysit a phone that bends like a plastic ruler.

I want a device that works like a phone, not like a stress ball. Keep your origami iPhone and your anxiety - some of us prefer actual engineering over cosplay gimmicks.

 

[klasma]

I already have a hard time justifying $1000 for a new phone every 4-5 years. I can’t imagine what the Apple tax price will be for a foldable.

Maybe they can fold the price in half.

 

[MrGunny94]

This better support two apps at the same time when open

 

[foobarbaz]

The biggest problem with foldables has always been durability. Sometimes they break. And if not, even discrete creases become more pronounced over time. That's the obvious suspicion why this demo is abruptly removed.

 

[mossburgercombo]

cant wait to get this. now my only future wish is to finally get either an oled or miniled 15inch macbook air. no more ipads and macbook ;pros for me. just want a two device line up with nice bright big screens, slim and lightweight.

 

[Dr McKay]

For the life of me I will never understand the people that flood every single iPhone fold article to tell everyone how they hate it etc, or even claim that nobody else would want the fold because they don’t want it. They act like they’ll be forced to buy it or that Apple is going to kill the existing lineup.

If it doesn’t appeal to you, fine, move on. Apple makes different products to suit different people’s wants. Do you go into iMac and Mac mini articles to announce that you don’t like them because a MacBook better suits your needs? Do you complain when the ice cream parlour also stocks flavours that aren’t your favourite?

 

[klasma]

I think it'd pretty obvious it'll run iPadOS when it's opened. It will have a 4:3 aspect ratio just like the iPad. That's no coincidence.

Most iPads aren’t 4:3 anymore (only the 13” still is). And how would you switch an app between inner and outer screen if it has to switch OSs in between? No, this will be all-iOS, maybe with some added APIs.

 

[AndiG]

Long story short: Every foldable smartphone will have a crease free display, maybe even before the iPhone at half the price …

 

[The Game 161]

I think it'd pretty obvious it'll run iPadOS when it's opened. It will have a 4:3 aspect ratio just like the iPad. That's no coincidence.

they will likely create a new foldableOS or something as new features will certainly be added for this form factor

 

[goobot]

The last real hurdle now is to make the screen durable enough to withstand a fingernail

 

[Plutonius]

I'll buy it when you can roll up the screen .