Apple will use liquid metal as the hinge for the foldable iPhone to improve the durability and flatness of the display, said renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
"In order to increase the durability, flatness and crease-freeness of the display, Apple will use liquid metal material for the key part (the hinge) and process it with a casting process," said Kuo, an analyst at TF Securities, citing supply chain sources.
However, he did not explain why this material helps the screen to have no creases. In 2010, Apple used liquid metal from Liquidmetal Technologies in California to make SIM ejector tools for iPhones and iPads. Regarding the production of foldable iPhone hinges, Dongguan Yian Technology is said to have an exclusive contract with Apple and the iPhone Fold is estimated to double the annual revenue of this Chinese company.
Previously, analyst Tim Long of Barclays bank predicted that the foldable iPhone would start at $ 2,300 and be Apple's most expensive iPhone. This is nearly double the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max ($ 1,199). Meanwhile, Mr. Kuo said that the device will have a 7.8-inch inner screen, a 5.5-inch outer screen, two rear cameras, a front camera, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, a high-density battery, and be 4.5 mm thin when opened and about 9 mm when folded. The machine could be mass produced in the fourth quarter of 2026.