UBI Research estimates that foldable smartphone display makers will continue to rely on both Ultra-Thin-Glass (UTG) and Colorless Polyimide (CPI) films for at least the next five years.
UBI sees demand for CPI films will reach 4.3 million units in 2020 while demand for UTG will reach 3.5 million units. Demand for both products will grow and by 2024 it will reach 37.1 million units for CPI and 30.5 million for UTG.
Most foldable smartphone OLED displays currently use Polyimide films. Samsung Electronics used UTG for the first time in the Galaxy Z Flip. Samsung says that its UTG cover enables it to meet more demanding customer needs compared to its 1st-gen Polyimide cover material. Samsung syas that its foldable glass, developed since 2013 in collaboration with a partner in Korea (Dowoo Insys, who processes Schott's ultra thin glass), is 30um thick and is produced using an intensifying process to enhance its flexibility and durability. In the process, the UTG is injected with a special material up to an undisclosed depth to achieve a consistent hardness.
