Samsung has joined hands with Corning to develop and mass produce ultra-thin glass (UTG) which adds durability to screens on foldable phones. This partnership ensures products are made according to the design of the glass, giving Corning the scope to tweak its structure depending on the blueprint of the device. This will be done through Samsung’s supply unit in the US, and most probably making sure the weight of the glass doesn’t become an ergonomic issue for the foldable device.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Fold last year and now it’s lining up the Fold 2 where it will be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 20 series in few months time. The first iteration of the Fold was criticised for its flimsy screen quality, and global reviewers shared their concern with Samsung, which resulted in delayed availability of the device in the market. After multiple deliberations, the company finally managed to please the critics, and rolled out the device in various markets, including India, where it claimed to have been a success.
The Fold 2 is also going to use the UTG layer to add the required solidity but Samsung believes the best forward for the company and the foldable segment is to partner with companies like Corning, who get in-depth knowledge about the product being designed, and can work in tandem with the needs of the device maker. Corning had talked about its progress in making glass layers for foldable screens but we’re yet to see results out in the open. Which is why we believe Samsung and Corning can work out the chinks in the design of the glass, mould the product in-sync with the glass layer and make sure it doesn’t weigh down the size of the device.
Mass producing the glass layer is also going to ensure the cost of the protection for foldable screens can come down, allowing other phone brands to also look for similar partnerships. Foldable phones offer promise but it’s too early to talk about its impact, unless the basic issues aren’t ironed out.