This innovation could also lead to fully integrated in-display fingerprint sensors on foldable devices.
Foldable smartphones have been evolving over the past seven years, from the original Samsung Galaxy Fold to the triple-folding Huawei Mate XTs Ultimate Design. Despite the variety of options available today, none are completely flawless. Samsung aims to address this issue with its latest display technology.
Although it sounds like science fiction, Samsung’s self-healing display is real.
The company recently submitted a new display patent to the United States Patent and Trademark Office under filing number US 12,437,686 B2. The patent details a foldable display panel capable of repairing itself. This display incorporates an advanced Crack Detection Wiring system designed to identify and fix micro-stresses in the folding screen.
While impressive, the key question is the practical relevance of this technology. Foldable smartphones have largely addressed hinge durability, but a less obvious problem persists.
Manufacturers often introduce intentional weaknesses in the folding display to accommodate components like front cameras and sensors. These design compromises create hotspots prone to micro-cracks and moisture damage. Since folding displays are already thin and delicate, such engineering trade-offs make them even more fragile.
Although these flaws are invisible to the naked eye, they exist in devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and Vivo X Fold 5. To tackle this, Samsung’s patented self-repair system uses a “sensing loop” around component cutouts to monitor the area’s integrity.
When microfractures are detected, ultra-thin wires trigger a repair mechanism using specialized “dummy metal patterns,” forming the core of this self-healing display technology.
The patent also mentions new grooves and sealants designed to reinforce the Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) openings, reducing moisture accumulation and preventing oxygen from reacting with the OLED panel.
If successful, this technology could lead to foldable phones that are far more durable and reliable. It may also enable the first foldable smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor.
Samsung’s focus on addressing microfractures suggests the company may eventually move away from side-mounted fingerprint scanners on its foldables.
However, this remains experimental technology, and there’s no confirmation yet whether the 2026 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Galaxy Z Flip 8 will feature self-healing displays.
