This Samsung Display Could Be The Key To A Foldable iPhone With No Crease

Foldable phones are pretty impressive, but almost every option out there has one crucial shortcoming: a crease running midway through the inner flexible screen. It seems Apple's highly anticipated foldable iPhone might be the first to eliminate this vertical groove, thanks to display technology supplied by Samsung. At CES 2026, Samsung's display division showcased a concept foldable device with a creaseless display that looked almost flat. According to CNET, this updated display architecture will also be sturdier.

Samsung Display shows off a foldable display panel that has no visible crease.

There's a high chance that this "Advanced Crease-less" technology will be used for the Galaxy Z Fold8 and the iPhone Fold. pic.twitter.com/ggbcxy6ii5

— Alvin (@sondesix) January 6, 2026

Samsung hasn't publicly said anything about this next-gen flexible screen, and a Samsung Display spokesperson told The Verge there are no plans to put this panel on a commercial device. Rumors, on the other hand, claim that this tech would appear on the foldable iPhone and possibly the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, as well. Apparently, Samsung Display showcased the display concept for a limited time and later removed it from the exhibit without providing any technical insight.

BREAKING！
Samsung showcased a foldable display with no visible crease at CES 2026.
The panel looks excellent in terms of overall quality and also adopts under-display camera technology. Most importantly, there is no crease at all.

This display technology is expected to be used... pic.twitter.com/BuL1gke9AZ

— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) January 6, 2026

In 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the rumored iPhone Fold will feature a flexible screen without any visible vertical groove. Back then, he revealed that the missing piece of the engineering puzzle was a metal plate that would disperse the folding-unfolding stress more evenly across the foldable panel and reduce the crease. Around the same time, Bloomberg also reported that in the unfolded state, the crease will be "nearly invisible."

So far, the closest we have seen a foldable phone delivering a minimal-crease experience is the Oppo Find N5. Back then, it was also one of the thinnest foldable phones available, and its display groove was slightly shallower than that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. So, what makes Samsung's next-gen creaseless foldable screen special? Leakster UniverseIce recently detailed that Samsung is using a "laser perforated metal support layer beneath the OLED panel."

The idea behind these tiny perforations is to prevent pressure buildup along the folding line and distribute material stress over a wider area. Thanks to the unique design, stress is absorbed by different sections of the entire assembly, instead of keeping it concentrated and creating a "physical memory" that manifests itself as a permanent groove on the foldable panel. The idea is similar to a dam, where water flows through large openings under controlled pressure, rather than allowing pressure to build up and damage the dam's structure.

Now, the crease is not merely an eyesore, but also a hardware risk. As documented by tech influencer Michael Fisher, the crease at both ends of the display begins to detach, and a report by DigitalTrends also highlighted similar fragility issues with Samsung's book-style foldable phones. The repairs and replacement are obviously expensive. For example, the replacement cost of the inner foldable panel on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is $589, and it can't be repaired. It would be interesting to see which phone gets Samsung's creaseless screen first. The iPhone Fold is rumoured to debut this year, while Samsung's second annual Unpacked event for foldable devices is usually scheduled for the July window.