Apple Has Patented a Foldable iPhone with a Self-Healing Display

The display cover layer may include a layer of self-healing material

An Apple patent publication was published yesterday. It reveals the idea of not just a foldable iPhone but a smartphone that has a self-healing display cover. It will fix the scratches and dents that usually cover the screen. Apple had filed a patent for this in January this year.

 

The patent application for this foldable iPhone with self-healing display reads: “During operation of an electronic device, the display cover layer for the electronic device may be scratched or dented. To improve the aesthetics of the electronic device, it may be desirable for the presence of scratches and dents to be minimized. To help mitigate the number of dents, scratches, or other imperfections in a display cover layer, the display cover layer may include a layer of self-healing material.”

 

The patent also talks about the scope of the self-healing display of the foldable iPhone. It reads

“The layer of self-healing material may be formed across the entire display cover layer or may be formed only in the flexible region of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may include a layer of the elastomer in the flexible region of the display cover layer for increased flexibility. The layer of self-healing material may cover the layer of the elastomer in the flexible region.” Read more about the patent here.

 

The self-healing display on the foldable iPhone would work simply without any user intervention. The self-healing feature would activate automatically on certain occasions like when the device is being charged or as a predetermined schedule. This feature might use heat, light, or electric current to ensure that the protective layer that is present above the screen is repaired in a hassle-free manner.

 

When this foldable iPhone with self-healing feature would become a reality, no one can say. But the patent does prove that Apple is thinking about the future far more than its competitors. The company might be busy with the upcoming launch of iPhone 12, but still, the executives have time to file patents regarding future tech, be it the self-healing screen, foldable iPhone or a patent for group selfies that also made news in June this year.