iPhone Fold: Liquid metal hinge and titanium casing

The iPhone Fold is considered one of the most anticipated Apple products of the year. New information from the supply chain now provides concrete clues as to which materials Apple is planning to use for its first foldable iPhone. The focus is on liquid metal for the hinge and an advanced titanium alloy for the casing. Both choices clearly aim for durability, stability, and weight optimization.

Apple is known for not being the first to enter new product categories, but only entering them when the technology and materials meet its own high quality standards. This approach seems to be precisely what Apple is pursuing with the iPhone Fold. Instead of adopting existing solutions, Apple is apparently relying on materials that the company has been working with for many years, but which have so far been used only visibly.

Liquid metal as a base for the hinge

According to Korean Naver user "yeux1122," citing a source in the materials industry, the iPhone Fold's hinge is made of liquid metal. This is an amorphous metal without a crystalline structure. This property ensures exceptional strength and prevents the material from deforming even under sustained stress.

Apple has been working with liquid metal for over 15 years. The foundation for this was laid in 2010 with an agreement with Liquidmetal Technologies. At that time, Apple received a perpetual, worldwide, and fully paid exclusive license to use Liquidmetal technologies in the consumer electronics sector.

In practice, liquid metal has so far only been used for small components such as the SIM card eject tool in iPhones and iPads. The main reason for this was the difficulty in scaling the material for larger components. Despite repeated extensions and amendments to the agreement, its use remained limited to niche applications. At the same time, liquid metal has repeatedly surfaced in Apple patents and rumors over the years.

However, the material offers clear advantages, especially for foldable devices. Liquid metal resists permanent bending, withstands repeated mechanical stress, and exhibits spring-like behavior. These properties are crucial for hinges, as they are subjected to stress every time the device is opened and closed. For this reason, Apple specifically investigated liquid metal for hinges and other moving components in patents.

Advanced titanium for the case

Besides the hinge, the iPhone Fold's casing is also expected to be made from a new material. According to reports, a revised titanium material is planned, offering greater strength than previous iPhone titanium frames while simultaneously reducing the overall weight. The outer surface is expected to remain virtually unchanged.

Titanium generally has a better strength-to-weight ratio than aluminum or stainless steel. However, foldable smartphones present additional challenges. Their larger size and central hinge necessitate precise weight control, particularly in the folding mechanism. Modifications to the titanium alloy itself, as well as to the manufacturing process, could specifically address these issues.

The iPhone Fold is likely Apple's fourth attempt at using titanium in an iPhone casing. This experience across several generations gives the company ample opportunity to specifically optimize the alloy composition to further improve properties such as stability, lightness, and durability.

Expected features of the iPhone Fold

Besides the materials, there are also initial concrete rumors about the technical specifications of the iPhone Fold. The device is expected to have a wide, book-like folding design. When unfolded, a 7.8-inch inner display is rumored, complemented by a 5.5-inch outer display.

Particularly striking is the rumor of a virtually crease-free display. This is precisely the point considered one of the biggest weaknesses of current foldable devices. Apple could set a new standard here with its combination of hinge design and display technology.

The iPhone Fold is expected to be powered by the A20 chip and Apple's own C2 modem. Two cameras are anticipated on the back. Touch ID is also expected to be used, presumably integrated into the power button, which saves space inside the device and is a better fit for a foldable design.

Possible market launch

According to recent reports, the iPhone Fold is expected to be released this fall. It is rumored to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. If this timeline proves accurate, Apple would be entering the foldable market deliberately late, but with a technically advanced solution.

The iPhone Fold as a technically mature solution

The iPhone Fold, as it currently stands, is characterized less by spectacular experiments and more by a clear focus on materials and durability. Liquid metal for the hinge and an optimized titanium alloy for the casing demonstrate that Apple is specifically addressing known weaknesses of foldable smartphones. Should Apple implement these concepts as planned, the iPhone Fold could set an important benchmark for the next generation of foldable devices. (Image: FrontPageTech x Asherdipps)