LG's new 'Real Folding Window' aims to fix the worst thing about foldables

The company's new cover material is thinner than existing tempered glass-type materials and polyimide films.

What you need to know

• LG has developed a new cover material for foldable phones.
• The new "Real Folding Window" is claimed to be as hard as glass.
• LG says the first devices with its "Real Folding Window" will arrive by 2023.

LG Chem announced on September 7 a new cover material that it claims is as tough as glass while being as flexible as plastic. It is also thinner than existing tempered glass-type materials used in the best foldable phones, despite being just as durable.

The "Real Folding Window" developed by LG Chem uses a coating made of "new materials" on both sides of a Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film. LG claims this solution helps improve the heat-resistance and "mechanical properties of plastic materials." The company is also working on producing a version of Real Folding Window with just the coating.

LG's Real Folding Window is said to be superior to existing polyimide films in terms of price competitiveness, and its durability is maintained even after being folded over 200,000 times. More importantly, the company says the material helps significantly reduce crease on the folding parts of the screen.

Another advantage of the new cover material is that it can be used for both in-folding and out-folding designs. Currently, commercialized cover windows are optimized only for phones with in-folding screens similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

LG Chem plans to begin mass-producing Real Folding Window by 2022 but warns that "full-scale sales" of the product might not begin before 2023. Besides foldable phones, LG Chem expects the cover material to be used in foldable laptops and tablets as well.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

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The Galaxy Z Flip 3 may not look all that different from its predecessor, but it is a significant step-up in several areas — including durability. Like the flagship Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Z Flip 3 is water resistant and offers great performance. The foldable also has impressive cameras and improved battery life.