Foldable iPhone's hinge may have more premium materials than Galaxy Z Fold

In the book-style foldable smartphone market, Samsung’s offerings, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 6, are the most durable. Their hinges, especially, are very robust, a result of brilliant engineering and strong and premium materials. Well, Samsung’s main rival in the mobile industry, Apple, is going to launch a foldable iPhone soon, and according to a new report, the brand will use more advanced material for its hinge than Samsung uses for its models.

According to a popular analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is going to use liquid metal for the hinge of the upcoming iPhone with a foldable display. According to him, the usage of this material will make the hinge more durable and enhance the flatness of the screen, reducing the crease at the joint. He also says that Apple will source liquid metal from Dongguan EonTec, the company will make it using the die-casting process, and it will cost Apple RMB 70-100 ($9 to $14).

Kuo points out that it won’t be the first time Apple uses liquid metal for iPhones. He says that the Cupertino-based tech giant has used the material in the past for small components related to iPhones, such as SIM ejector pins. He further suggests that once Apple uses liquid metal for hinges for foldable phones, Android smartphone brands may also adopt it. However, there’s no information on whether Samsung will be one of them.

It will be interesting to see how much better or worse the hinge of foldable iPhone turns out to be compared to those in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold SE. According to various reports, Apple will launch the first iPhone with a foldable display next year (2026). It means that the first foldable iPhone will compete directly with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Reports suggest the one from Apple will be at least 20% costlier than those from Samsung.