Samsung’s answer to the foldable ‘crease’ is apparently weaker panels

The foldable crease case has been cracked, apparently. One reputable leaker reports that Samsung is using a less rigid OLED support panel to change how the foldable series reacts to stress. Samsung’s result: a Galaxy Z Fold screen without the distracting crease.

During CES 2026, Samsung’s booth was as crowded as usual. While the majority of the show felt slower than normal. That focused more attention on one of the only major POC demos Samsung had available. The booth showcased a foldable with an almost invisible crease, as opposed to the more visible bends we see on every Galaxy Z Fold model.

According to a known leaker, @universeice, Samsung’s new design utilizes perforated panels underneath the OLED flexible glass display. The analogy used is a little confusing, and though the article has AI-generated tones, the base theory could prove to be true.

The reasoning goes that under the traditional design, too much pressure builds up against the rigid base panels in the phone. When the glass can’t bend inwards or anywhere unintended, the pressure pushes right down the middle, where there is little support, to ensure the phone doesn’t crack. The result is a crease where the flexible glass can’t recover from its altered state.

With the new perforated panel, Samsung can reportedly distribute that stress throughout the display, and essentially, deeper into the phone’s chassis. How big those relief extrusions are is unknown, as are the surrounding details of the display’s dynamic movement in practice. Theoretically, the material is able to push through those holes, taking some of the pressure away from the very middle of the display, where the hinge is located.

This information hasn’t been published by Samsung, so there is no official word on whether or not the information is accurate. It’s also unknown whether Samsung plans to incorporate this method into the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or any other foldable that comes into play within the year, including Apple’s. It’s expected that if Samsung can accomplish this without making the series unaffordable, the improvement would be a milestone for foldables.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.