According to new information coming from the iPhone Fold component supplier chain, Apple plans to use a material with advanced features for its first flip phone, i.e. liquid metal for the hinge mechanism, as well as an improved frame for the titanium alloy case. The source of these claims is user yeux1122 from the Korean platform Naver, who refers to companies involved in the development of new materials.
The hinge of the foldable iPhone will reportedly be made of so-called liquid metal, an amorphous material that Apple has been researching and patenting for over 15 years. It is a material without a crystal lattice structure, which is characterized by exceptional strength, resistance to permanent deformation and very good behavior under repeated mechanical loads, which makes it ideal for parts such as hinges in foldable devices.
Apple’s interest in liquid metal dates back to 2010, when the company entered into an agreement with Liquidmetal Technologies and secured an exclusive, permanent license for the application of this technology in consumer electronics.
So far, the material has been used mainly for small components, such as SIM card removal tools, because the production of larger structural parts was technologically very demanding.
For the main body of the device, Apple is reportedly developing a new version of the titanium alloy material, which maintains the same surface area as existing titanium frames, but offers greater strength with less weight. This is especially important with foldable phones, where larger dimensions and a hinge mechanism further complicate weight distribution. This would also be the fourth Apple iPhone with a titanium body, which means that the company already has experience in optimizing the composition of the alloy and manufacturing processes.
According to previous rumors, the first Apple iPhone Fold should be presented in the fall, in parallel with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. A book cover-like folding design is expected, with a 7.8-inch internal screen and a 5.5-inch external screen, a minimal or no notch, an A20 chip, an Apple C2 modem, two rear cameras and the return of Touch ID authentication, Macrumors writes.