Apple reportedly developing a foldable iPhone with a self-healing screen

Foldable phones have been around for a while now, and Apple still hasn’t talked about a foldable iPhone — yet — but reports suggest that it will come and feature a self-healing screen.

You heard that right — the tech giant doesn’t normally add new tech to the iPhone as soon as it’s out and about.

That’s why we don’t have a foldable iPhone, despite every other major brand having one.

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If the rumors are true, Apple’s foldable smartphone, whenever it comes, will come in with a bang.

So, what’s the basis of these rumors?

The smartphone maker recently filed a patent that suggests a self-healing screen.

For context, the screen could ‘heal’ itself from any minor scratches and dents.

As unusual as it may seem, we might just get to see it.

The patent, dubbed ‘Electronic Devices with Flexible Display Cover Layers,’ shows the components of a foldable display.

It details that a foldable screen consists of three key parts — two separate displays and a flexible layer that connects them.

Now, the patent only mentions a screen, which could be anything from a smartphone or monitor to a watch.

But let’s be real here — the only foldable that Apple might launch is an iPhone, surely?

And most likely, even if a self-healing screen makes it to these smartphones, we surely won’t see it on the upcoming iPhone 16.

“Self-healing may occur in the layer of self-healing material without prompting (e.g., when the self-healing coating is dented, the material of the coating may fill the dent even without external intervention).

“Alternatively, the self-healing may be initiated or expedited by externally applied heat, light, electric current, or other type of external stimulus,” the patent’s filing notes read.

If it becomes a reality, the self-healing would occur during charging or at a pre-determined schedule.

It’s not the first time we have seen self-healing tech on a smartphone, because some of them featured similar features back in the day.

The key difference is that it’s the first time this technology might make it to a smartphone’s screen.

However, it’s important to remember that it’s just a patent, for now.

Whether it makes it to Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone or not, will undoubtedly be interesting to witness.