Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Balancing Act Between Liquid Metal Hinges, Slim Design, and a Steep Price Tag

Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Balancing Act Between Liquid Metal Hinges, Slim Design, and a Steep Price TagConsumer understanding of "liquid metal" often stems from thermal management materials like gallium-indium-tin alloys used in the PS5, some high-performance laptops, and by extreme overclockers. These alloys have low melting points, are liquid at room temperature, and boast excellent thermal and electrical conductivity

Apple's Foldable iPhone: A Balancing Act Between Liquid Metal Hinges, Slim Design, and a Steep Price Tag

Rumors surrounding Apple's foldable iPhone, expected to launch in 2026, are steadily increasing. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's latest report suggests that Apple will heavily utilize liquid metal in the hingea crucial componentto enhance durability, screen flatness, and eliminate crease marks. However, this "liquid metal" differs significantly from the liquid metal used for cooling in devices like the PS5. This article delves into the properties of the liquid metal used in Apple's foldable iPhone and its implications for the product.

I. Apple's Foldable iPhone's "Liquid Metal": The Application of Amorphous Alloys

Consumer understanding of "liquid metal" often stems from thermal management materials like gallium-indium-tin alloys used in the PS5, some high-performance laptops, and by extreme overclockers. These alloys have low melting points, are liquid at room temperature, and boast excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. However, the "liquid metal" in Apple's foldable iPhone hinge is different.

Kuo indicates that Apple has long used liquid metal in various components, such as SIM card pins. The liquid metal in the foldable iPhone hinge is actually an amorphous alloy. Created using modern rapid solidification metallurgy techniques, amorphous alloys possess superior mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of both ordinary metals and glass, making them a novel type of amorphous metallic glass material.

Amorphous alloys are termed "liquid metals" due to their disordered atomic structure resembling that of a liquid. Unlike the regularly ordered atomic arrangement in crystalline structures, amorphous alloys exhibit short-range order and long-range disorder, a glassy state that results in a more uniform composition than crystalline alloys. Another name for amorphous alloys, "metallic glass," more accurately reflects their material characteristics.

II. Amorphous Alloys: An Ideal Choice for Foldable Phone Hinges

For foldable phones, the hinge is crucial for smooth operation and long-term durability. Compared to traditional materials like aluminum alloys and stainless steel, amorphous alloys offer higher specific strength, better wear resistance, and elasticity, making them less prone to plastic deformation. This makes them ideal for foldable phone hinges and other support structures.

Huawei's MateXs hinge utilizes a zirconium-based amorphous alloy, demonstrating the potential of this material in foldable phones. The excellent elasticity and wear resistance of amorphous alloys ensure smoother folding, while their superior flatness prevents twisting or warping during movement, resulting in a stable folding experience. Furthermore, the near-net shape forming achieved through the die-casting process of amorphous alloys minimizes the need for post-processing, facilitating the creation of complex shapes perfectly suited to the intricate design of foldable phone hinges.

For example, the Sennheiser IE600 earphones' housing uses 3D-printed ZR01 amorphous zirconium, boasting three times the strength and bending resistance of high-performance steel, a unique semi-matte texture, and corrosion and scratch resistance. This further underscores the superior performance of amorphous alloys.

III. Apple's Foldable iPhone: The Trade-off Between Thinness, Battery Life, and High Cost

Whether Apple's foldable iPhone can achieve a truly "crease-free" display remains to be seen. Beyond durability and screen flatness, another leaker, yeux1122, offers insights into the phone's thinness and battery life.

yeux1122's Naver blog post suggests Apple is refining the display driver integrated circuit (DDI) for its first foldable iPhone to achieve a slimmer design. As a crucial component responsible for converting digital signals from the processor into analog signals controlling the display pixels, improvements to the DDI allow for thinner panel components, reduced heat generation, and lower power consumptionparticularly important for foldable phones with multiple screens and limited space.

The iPhone 17 Air, expected later this year, may offer design and technological insights for Apple's foldable iPhone. Kuo predicts a unfolded thickness of just 4.5mm and a folded thickness between 9mm and 9.5mm.

Both Kuo and Jeff Pu anticipate mass production of this foldable iPhone starting in Q4 2026, with a possible limited release in 2027. Barclays analyst Tim Long previously predicted a starting price of $2299, significantly higher than the current top-tier iPhone 16 Pro Max ($1199).

In conclusion, the development and design of Apple's foldable iPhone represent a balancing act between thinness, durability, battery life, and a high price tag. The liquid metal hinge technology signifies a breakthrough in materials science and manufacturing, but the ultimate success of the product and consumer acceptance of its high price remain to be seen.