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Samsung is considering glass backplate and digitizer-less S-Pen for thinner foldables

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

A foldable phone relies on various parts to ensure its durability for everyday use. One of the main components of a foldable phone is the backplate that supports the foldable panel and the hinge. This year, Samsung experimented with different materials for the backplates of its foldable devices.

Notably, the Galaxy Z Flip6 was launched with a SUS (Steel Use Stainless) backplate, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold6 used Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). The Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition, which launched exclusively in South Korea, made use of titanium as the backplate material. Now, it is reported that Samsung is considering glass as the backplate material for future foldables.

According to a report by the South Korean publication The Elec, Samsung is considering glass as the backplate material for foldables because of its lightweight and low cost compared to other options. Additionally, the consistent availability of the material is also one of the key reasons Samsung wants to switch over to using glass as the backplate material for future foldables.

The company made use of titanium for the Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition. Although it resulted in the phone being slightly (3 grams) lighter than the global variant, the material had to be sourced from China. And since the future of the China-US relationship is uncertain, especially during President-elect Donald Trump's second reign, Samsung may not want to rely on China for critical materials.

Samsung would like to avoid any sort of issues and hurdles and maintain its crown in the foldable industry, which saw a dip in Q3 of 2024 due to the underwhelming performance of Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 this year. Industry experts note that it isn't certain if Samsung Display will be producing glass backplates for foldable phones. They further added that "it will be difficult to mass-produce next year, and we can expect it in 2026 at the earliest."

Samsung is also said to be developing an S-Pen without a digitizer with its partners. Notably, the removal of the digitizer would allow the S-Pen to be housed inside the foldable without eating much space. For context, a digitizer is a circuit component that detects the movements and pressure of the tip of the pen on a screen, enabling precise input. In simple words, a digitizer allows the S-Pen to act as a real pen on touchscreen phones.

The company is expected to launch a tri-folding phone with an innovative tri-folding battery. It is also rumored that Samsung could launch an affordable Galaxy Z Flip7 FE next year alongside the standard models.

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