Samsung is moving forward with the production of foldable smartphones. What comes first in manufacturing such a visionary smartphone has to be the manufacturing process of such foldable screens. Samsung Electronics is reportedly trying to develop its own foldable glass; however, the smartphone giant is planning on doing that without relying on its sub-brand Samsung Display.
The company’s display division, the Samsung Display is in charge of developing glass and panels for Samsung’s foldable phones, like for the Galaxy Z Flip’s Ultra-Thin Glass.
As of now a Korean company named Dowoo Insys is in charge of manufacturing Ultra-Thin glass for Samsung Display from the base material supplied by another company. The base material is supplied by a German firm called Schott AG. Samsung Display then integrates the Ultra-Thin Glass with OLED panel to supply it to Samsung Electronics.
Apparently, Samsung Electronics has contacted a number of companies for the responsibility of manufacturing the foldable glass for initiating the process of manufacturing the foldable screen smartphones. The initiative taken by Samsung Electronics is to fundamentally reduce the production cost and make the technology more affordable in the future.
“Samsung Electronics Mobile Division met with multiple foldable glass manufacturing companies and is looking to work with them. Its intention is to increase production yield compared to process and develop products with improved performance,” industry sources iterated.
If Samsung Display is eliminated in the process of manufacturing the foldable glass, and if the company indeed decides to mass manufacture the foldable glass on its own, this would certainly give more autonomy to the smartphone manufacturer itself. Furthermore, Samsung Electronics will be in complete control over quality control and the supply chain.
Moreover, having an internal foldable display arm would give Samsung Electronics a strategical advantage over competitors because Samsung Display is planning to supply foldable displays to Huawei and Xiaomi as well.
