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| Samsung's crease-less foldable display allegedly for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8. |
The buzz on the CES 2026 show floor is electric, and as always, all eyes are on the tech titans and their flagship hardware. But amidst the sea of robots and next-gen AI, Samsung may have just quietly unveiled the single most important smartphone innovation of the year: the future of foldables, without the fold’s most notorious flaw.
While the company hasn’t made an official announcement, a tantalizing prototype on display has sent ripples through the tech community. It appears to be our first real-world look at a Samsung foldable with a genuinely “crease-less” display—a breakthrough that could redefine the entire category.
The Side-by-Side Revelation
As spotted and reported by trusted leaker Max Jambor and detailed by Sammobile, a Samsung kiosk featured two phones unfolded side-by-side. The device on the left is easily identifiable as the current-generation Galaxy Z Fold 7. The phone on the right, however, is a mystery. It shares the identical form factor but sits under a telling label: “Advanced Crease-less.”
The difference is stark. Current foldables, while impressive, still show a visible crease where the screen bends—a persistent reminder of the technology’s compromise. The prototype on the right seems to eliminate this entirely.
A Closer Look at the "Crease-less" Display
So, what are we actually seeing? A short but revealing clip shared by Max Jambor on X offers the best evidence.
As the camera angle shifts, light plays across the prototype’s screen. There’s a subtle, uniform bend where the hinge lies, but the distinct, distracting valley of a traditional crease is absent. The surface appears remarkably smooth and continuous, much closer to a standard slab smartphone display. Industry watchers believe this is the next-generation OLED panel Samsung has been developing, likely destined for the anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Bigger Than Samsung: The Apple Connection
The plot thickens when you consider the broader industry landscape. It’s an open secret that Samsung Display has been developing this advanced folding technology not just for its own phones, but also for a highly anticipated customer: Apple. The first Apple foldable is expected to utilize a variant of this same “crease-less” OLED panel, though likely in a different size and aspect ratio suited to Apple’s design language. This CES glimpse, therefore, isn't just a peek at Samsung's future—it's a window into the next major leap for premium foldables across the board.
When Can We Expect This Future to Unfold?
As for release dates, the timeline is starting to come into focus. Samsung operates on a reliable yearly update cycle for its Z Fold line, with a launch typically set for July or August. If this prototype is indeed the Z Fold 8, a Summer 2026 unveiling is highly probable.
Apple’s entry into the foldable market, potentially using this very display technology, is expected to follow slightly later. While not officially confirmed, most analysts project a reveal sometime in the latter half of 2026.
The Bottom Line
CES is often about concepts and “maybe tomorrows.” But Samsung’s quiet showcase feels different. It’s a tangible, working prototype of the single most requested improvement to foldable phones. The crease has been the final barrier to mainstream foldable adoption for many skeptics. If what we’re seeing at CES 2026 translates seamlessly to production, that barrier is about to vanish.
The race for the perfect foldable is heating up, and Samsung just showed us they’re holding the ace. The question is no longer if the crease will disappear, but how soon we can hold this seamless future in our hands.