[According to a patent found by AppleInsider, the display could be used in a variety of mobile devices ranging from smartwatches to laptops or even non-folding devices [According to a patent found by AppleInsider, the display could be used in a variety of mobile devices, from smartwatches to laptops or even non-folding devices However, the most obvious application, and the one the patent spends the most time on, is foldable cell phones

In the patent "Electronic Device with Flexible Display Cover Layer," Apple details a display consisting of two fixed panels joined by a flexible panel, possibly using elastomeric components More interesting, however, is the mention of a "self-healing material" layer, which would cover the other layer and minimize the appearance of scratches or dents in the flexible area or the entire display

Foldable cell phones are more susceptible to breakage from normal use and debris because they cannot use the normal tempered glass outer layer of a fixed cell phone Even if this does not stop a cell phone's touchscreen from functioning, it still leaves a very expensive device in less than tip-top shape

The patent also suggests using light, heat, or other stimuli to form the layer instead When using heat, the phone could use a layer of heating elements via a display that is activated when the phone is charged or manually switched on by the user There are few specific details on how exactly this system would work, but it would certainly be useful to have this layer on a foldable iPhone

The patent also does not provide specifics on how the iPhone will fold; it is expected to be folded screen-in like the Galaxy Z Flip 5G and Motorola Razr, but the patent does mention that the display will be visible outside the folded device It also mentions that the display can be seen on the outside of the folded device This has been done before, for example with the Huawei Mate X and Mate Xs and the Royole FlexPai, but is less common due in part to the high risk of damaging the display

Since the patent is intended to reserve ownership of the design, there is no way to be sure whether future products will use this technology However, the fact that Apple has already filed a number of patents related to foldable devices seems to suggest that a foldable iPhone will appear sooner rather than later

Until then, we can look forward to the iPhone 12 instead It won't be foldable, but it will feature 5G, three new size options, and some new photography tricks thanks to the LiDAR sensor that will be featured on the two Pro models it is expected to launch on October 13, which is rumored to be the date of the next big Apple event It is rumored to be the date of the next big Apple event