Apple is reportedly developing a foldable iPhone with a 3D-printed hinge and dual-layer glass display to reduce crease visibility. Leaks suggest the crease depth could be under 0.15mm, far lower than current foldables. The device is expected to launch in 2026 with advanced specs and improved durability.

Since the very first foldable smartphones arrived, one flaw has stubbornly persisted - the crease. The visible groove that forms along the fold line has been the single biggest aesthetic and durability complaint against every device in the category, from Samsung's Galaxy Fold series to devices by Oppo and Huawei. As Apple prepares to enter the foldable market, reports suggest it is taking an unusually precise engineering approach to attack this problem head-on.

Apple may use a 3D printed hinge on iPhone Fold

According to a leak by tipster well-known tipster Fixed Focus Digital on Weibo, Apple may use 3D-printed materials for its hinge to reduce crease visibility and improve durability.

The leaker's post describes Apple putting considerable effort into its foldable iPhone, involving 'chip-level high-molecular 3D printing technology, with further developments in the hinge design still to be revealed.' This would not be entirely unprecedented for Apple, the iPhone Air already features a USB-C port made with 3D-printed titanium, and Apple Watch titanium cases are also manufactured using the same technology, something the company itself highlighted.