Samsung could ditch ultra-thin glass for its biggest foldable screens yet

Would you trade display clarity for better durability?

Samsung’s foldable smartphone designs have evolved significantly since the first generation Galaxy Fold — and that whole mess with peeling off the protective screen layer from early units. Advancements in material science for displays are partly to thank for the abuse foldables can withstand now. While the company’s current models use Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), that may not be up to scratch (literally) for tablet-sized screens, and Samsung Display is reportedly now considering a switch to a different material for the top layer of extra-large-screen foldables.

Current Samsung devices, including the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, use UTG to protect the foldable OLED panels underneath. These phones have a screen size of seven to eight inches, and UTG works just fine, offering a fine balance between durability and display clarity. But as YouTuber Zach Nelson of JerryRigEverything says, “glass is glass, and glass can break.” The Achilles heel of Ultra Thin Glass is its poor shock resistance, making it unsuitable for protecting larger displays. And that notwithstanding, it can be a pretty expensive material to work with on smaller foldable phones.

Brands like Lenovo have tried using polyimide (PI) films as the top layer for larger folding displays like you’ll find on the ThinkPad X1 Fold. LG Display also uses PI films on its deformable products. With this material, though, you sacrifice display clarity in exchange for better structural integrity and durability. According to The Elec, Samsung Display is now considering making the switch, as well (via SamMobile). Interestingly, the first-generation Samsung Galaxy Fold we mentioned earlier used a PI film for its screen. The material has presumably improved since then, letting Samsung Display re-evaluate the possibilities.

As a result, Samsung’s rumored foldable tablet could use PI films, making it the company’s first large-screen foldable lacking a UTG layer. That said, there’s no official word yet from Samsung regarding the use of PI or the development a foldable tablet.