The days of the crease could soon be over – Google Pixel Fold next in line for screen upgrade
Google could finally give its next foldable the one display upgrade we've been waiting for
Quick summary
The Google Pixel 12 Pro Fold is reportedly set to get a crease-less display, following in the footsteps of Apple's first foldable iPhone.
The technology could make Google's next foldable look and feel much more like a conventional smartphone when its screen is opened up.
Google could be about to make one of the biggest changes yet to its Pixel Fold line, and it's one you should be able to see every time you open the phone.
The upcoming Pixel 12 Pro Fold is reportedly being lined up for a crease-less folding display, potentially bringing Google's foldable in line with some of the best new foldable phones on the market.
According to a report from The Elec, Google is among the companies working with Samsung Display on next-generation foldable panels using dual ultra-thin glass (UTG) technology. Oppo and Vivo are also reportedly adopting the technology, while it is expected to feature on Apple's first foldable iPhone.
Goodbye, crease?
The visible crease running down the middle of a folding phone's internal display has become one of the biggest compromises of the form factor.
It doesn't necessarily stop a foldable being enjoyable to use, but it's difficult to ignore when light catches it, and you can often feel it when running your finger across the screen.
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold still has that compromise, while rivals have been increasingly aggressive about hiding it. Oppo, Honor and Samsung have all moved towards displays where the crease is considerably less noticeable.
Samsung Display's reported solution uses one UTG layer above the OLED panel and another underneath it, with the latter helping support the display. Samsung itself has previously used a titanium plate beneath the OLED to help achieve a flatter surface, while Oppo has taken a different approach involving liquid 3D printing.
Pixel 12 Pro Fold could be a big upgrade
The Pixel 12 Pro Fold isn't expected until the second half of 2027, with August reportedly a likely launch window given Google's usual Pixel schedule.
That gives Google plenty of time to refine the technology before it reaches us.
And the timing could be important. With Apple's first foldable expected imminently, a genuinely crease-less screen is rapidly becoming a feature we can expect from an expensive folding phone.
For Google, that means the Pixel 12 Pro Fold won't just need to fold. It could finally look like it doesn't.
