The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple new patents including a design for a device with a flexible or bendable region. Apple applied for the patents in 2018.
According to Patently Apple, the patent also reveals that Apple might use a ceramic material as a cover layer instead of plastic which Samsung uses on the Galaxy Fold.
“The flexible cover layer may be formed from a ceramic material (e.g., glass, strengthened glass, sapphire, zirconia) to provide some measure of protection for the flexible display from impact or other potential damaging contact. The flexible cover layer may also provide structural support for the display along both the folded and non-folded regions of the device. As used herein, a cover layer may also be referred to as a cover sheet or simply as a cover.”
Apple has already employed engineers to work on the product.
source: Patently Apple
