Patent of Apple's foldable smartphone that endures the cold

 

Foldable smartphone, vulnerable to cold,

Foldable smartphones have grown rapidly since launch. However, the its durability is still doubt. In particular, foldable smartphones showed weakness in cold weather. When Huawei launched the mateX, they advised not to open the smartphone below -5 degrees (Celsius). Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip also failed to withstand the winter cold. At the beginning of this year, which was exceptionally cold, photos showing that cracked along the folds of liquid crystals were often uploaded in the online community.

▲ huawei.com

Why are foldable phones weak to sub-zero temperatures?

The reason why foldable phones are weak below zero is because of the adhesive that attaches the layers between the displays. A special adhesive called PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) is required to create a flexible display. However, this adhesive has the property of hardening at sub-zero temperatures. When the pressure-sensitive adhesive hardened in winter's cold weather, the thin liquid crystal could not withstand its cold and is broken.

▲ clipartkorea.co.kr

Apple's foldable smartphone patent,

On the 9th, Apple obtained a patent for "electronic devices with flexible display (US 10943529)." The peculiarity of this patent is the ability to control the temperature so that the display is not damaged by cold. First of all, it is said that a warning can be sent to the user when the temperature of the display drops below a certain level through the sensor. It is also said that it can generate heat by itself so that it is not damaged by the cold. The patent proposed two methods of self-heating by turning on the display or by inserting a heating device to generate heat.

▲ wipsglobal.com
US patent 10943529

Is Apple's patent the right answer?

So far, nothing has come out specifically about how foldable smartphones can withstand the cold. Apple's patent is, in some ways, the simplest way to endure the cold.

 

Many foldable smartphone manufacturers will also have a lot of worries regarding the cold. I am curious about what solutions other competitors will bring with.