Apple Patents Foldable iPhone With Screen That Heals Scratches On Its Own

Apple¡¯s latest patent hints at what the Cupertino tech giant might be ideating for its future iPhones. While it might seem a long shot for now, the patent describes a ¡®self-healing¡¯ display in a foldable smartphone design.

(Image: SVETAPPLE)

The ¡®self-healing¡¯ display is exactly what it sounds like -- a display that is able to repair itself of dents or scratches. The feature seems to be a fantastic one that would make Apple¡¯s foldable design much more desirable than others in competition.

The patent was originally filed by Apple in January and was published only recently. As written in the patent application, Apple wants to come up with an electronic device that ¡°may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis.¡± It further says that the display may ¡°span the bend axis.¡±

To avoid damage to the display while bending the phone about the bend axis, Apple proposes the use of a ¡°display cover layer with a flexible portion.¡± It further states that this display cover layer may also include ¡°a layer with self-healing properties.¡±

Apple is yet to decide if this layer of self-healing material should be used across the entire display cover layer or should only be formed in the flexible region of the layer. The company might use a layer of elastomer in the flexible region for increased flexibility.

How will it work?

As can be understood, the layer of self-healing material atop the foldable iPhone will not require any human intervention. As per the patent, the layer will be activated through external stimulus to get rid of scratches and dents.

These stimuli can range from externally applied heat, light, electric current to other types of external stimuli. A particular stimulus (electric current) can be supplied to the phone every time it is put on charge. If Apple is aiming for that to be the driving force behind the self-healing property, we might see a whole new generation of smartphones healing themselves while on charge.

(Representative Image: Shutterstock)

The technology is not the first of its kind, as LG has introduced a basic form of such a self-healing technology in its G Flex series. While the smartphone is able to do away with minor scratches that are formed on the phone when it is in pocket, the technology could not be overemphasized upon at that capability.

It is yet unclear as to when Apple will come up with such a foldable iPhone with a self-healing display. The company, however, has shown continued interest in foldable smartphones and might soon be coming out with its own iteration of the same.