> At a Glance
> – Samsung Display demoed a foldable OLED with a nearly invisible crease
> – A side-by-side with a current model made the old crease look instantly dated
> – The concept screen also survived basketball impacts without cracking
> – Why it matters: A crease-free panel could land in Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone
Samsung Display used CES 2026 to tease the foldable feature shoppers have wanted since day one: a screen that folds without leaving a visible ridge.
The Disappearing Crease
In a private booth, engineers set two foldables under bright lights. One was a current-generation unit; the other, a concept panel built from a new OLED stack. Viewed straight-on or at an angle, the concept’s center line all but vanished, while the retail unit’s crease stood out like a seam on old leather.
Samsung Display wouldn’t label the retail model as Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the comparison left little doubt: the prototype looks years ahead.
Built to Take a Beating
Durability claims came rapid-fire:
- A robot arm fired a full-size basketball at a wall of the new panels
- After repeated hits, no glass cracked and no frames dented
- Samsung says the laminate and ultra-thin cover layer spread impact force sideways
Car Cockpit and Robot Teachers
The foldable was only one entry in a hall of concept demos:
| Display | Size | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| L-shaped curved OLED | 18.1-inch | Climate & nav controls |
| Passenger screen | 13.8-inch | Stows inside dash when not needed |
| Privacy mode | On demand | Blocks driver view of passenger content |
A trio of knee-high robots showed off circular “faces” designed for campus use. They promise to guide students, list professor bios, and flash homework reminders, though the on-floor demo stayed limited to waving arms.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Display, not Samsung Electronics, is behind the crease-free panel
- Apple is reported to be co-developing a similar screen for its first foldable iPhone
- Mass production timelines were not announced; earliest products could appear late 2026
- The basketball torture test suggests foldables may finally outgrow their fragile reputation
Whether any of these concepts escape the lab, the message from Las Vegas is clear: the foldable crease’s days are numbered.
