Donald Trump, who won the last US election, will officially become president on January 20. However, some of his statements are already having an impact. In the coming years, US foreign policy is likely to focus on charging tariffs (taxes) on imported goods, especially from China.
Trump wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US by imposing a 20% tariff on all imports and up to 60% on those from China. These plans are already affecting the tech industry, which relies on imports from China, including devices, parts, and materials. Because of this, Samsung has decided to use glass for the backs of its upcoming foldable devices instead of other materials.
Samsung Display, the part of Samsung Electronics that makes screens for the company’s devices, is reportedly planning to use glass in its next foldable smartphones. Specifically, the glass would be used for the backplanes, which are the parts that support the hinge and panel of the folding phone. Right now, these backplanes are made of titanium, and the Galaxy Z Fold SE uses raw materials mostly from Chinese suppliers. But with changes in US policy, it might be cheaper for Samsung to reduce reliance on titanium, which could see higher import costs.
Similarly, Apple is also considering switching materials for its next iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, possibly dropping titanium frames. This is surprising because Apple only started using titanium in the iPhone 15 Pro, just two years ago, and it was one of the phone’s key features.
China is the world’s leading producer of titanium, and if the Trump administration’s high tariffs come into effect, smartphone makers (and other industries) may need to find alternatives to titanium.
But the decision by both Samsung and Apple may not be purely about geopolitics. Titanium is more expensive than stainless steel (which Apple used before the iPhone 15 Pro), and it doesn’t seem to offer major benefits. For example, it doesn’t reduce the weight of the phones. In fact, both Samsung and Apple are focusing more on making their devices lighter, which could explain why Apple is shifting to aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro, instead of returning to heavier stainless steel.
Samsung Display is looking forward to applying glass to build the backplane of foldable smartphones to enhance the durability and performance of future foldable devices.
The Korean tech giant is exploring the use of glass as a backplane material for foldable phone displays by collaborating with multiple component suppliers, which is expected to result in enhanced durability and performance of future foldable devices.
Samsung applied different materials for each of the backplanes of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which uses Steel Use Stainless (SUS); the Galaxy Z Fold 6 uses carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, and the Galaxy Z Fold SE uses the metal titanium.
Now Samsung is eyeing the use of glass as it is lighter and cheaper than these materials and more easily procured. Although, currently, the exploration of glass backplanes for foldable phones is still in its early stages. Whereas this technology holds promise for upgrading durability and performance, it’s unlikely to be implemented in 2025.
On the other side, the reliance on Chinese-sourced titanium for the Galaxy Z Flip SE raises concerns regarding the possible supply chain disruptions due to geopolitical factors. Since Flip SE’s titanium is imported from China, it is a concern because the reelection of Donald Trump as US President means the ongoing US-China trade dispute can intensify further.
A source at a supplier, Samsung Display, stated that it has just started the project; this means that the glass backplanes won’t be applied at least until 2025 and could be used starting in 2026 at the earliest.
